Dragons Fly
by The Geeky Quill
Summary: Charlie Weasley is in love with Madeline Mad-Eye Moody's sister . They've known eachother since they were children. Will they end up together? Come read and review. Lots of scenes at the Burrow.
1. Chapter 1: The Prancing Pony

a/n: J.K. Rowling owns the Harry Potter world. I'm just borrowing it. I also don't own any of the quotes at the heads of chapters. Various other authors own those. Any characters you don't recognize are ones I created.

Dragons Fly

by

The Geeky Quill

"'_Well, Master Underhill,' said Strider, 'if I were you, I should stop your young friends from talking too much. Drink, fire, and chance-meetings are pleasant enough, but well - this isn't the Shire. There are queer folk about.'"_

_From The Fellowship of The Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien_

Chapter 1: The Prancing Pony

This story begins, as many trite stories do, in a bar. Three wizards sat at the table in their corner of The Prancing Pony, a place as familiar and comfortable as an old boot, and it smelled rather like one. Two were having a lively debate about the existence of true love and the third was listening with a reluctant interest. The stocky one leaned one mountainous arm on the table causing it to tip slightly and rumbled, "You're so jaded, Martin. You wouldn't know true love if it hit you between the eyes." He lifted his glass and let some of the amber liquid pour down his throat and burn ever so mildly. Then, as he wiped his mouth with the back of one calloused hand, he looked at his opponent with the dark beady eyes and grey flecked brown hair.

"Jaded?" he laughed, "You're right there, Charlie me mate. I'm completely bolloxed!" He raised his glass in mock-salute to his sturdy ginger-haired friend.

"Martin, you were born bolloxed, but I _meant_ you were cynical" said Charlie.

"Charlie," said the beady-eyed wizard leaning closer, "you say this girl is the love of your life and yet here you are in a bar getting sauced with two ugly wizards."

"Speak for yourself," slurred the third, rather round wizard as he sloshed ale down his front.

"Oh, sorry, my suave friend." The dark-haired wizard tipped his fedora to him. "As I was saying, here you are in a bar with one ugly bloke and Mr. Handsome over there," he said with some irony, as he considered himself to be the better looking of the three. "And where is this truly remarkable young lady you speak of? She's not even in this country! Easy to talk of love when the wench isn't around to nag your arse off."

"She's coming," retorted Charlie. "I have my house now, my job's secure. After we're married, I won't be hanging around pubs...well, just this one pub really, with you sorry lot anymore."

"What? You'd give up your mates for a bird?" interjected the pudgy faced wizard.

"Damn strait!" bellowed Charlie slamming his empty mug on the already distressed oak table. "And you would too, Nod, if you could get one."

"I can get a girl anytime I want!" protested Nod, waving his wand at Charlie.

"Yeah, if you don't mind the price," chortled Charlie.

"Or the STD's! And put your wand away. You're liable to jinx somethin'," said Martin. "Save it for the ladies, lad."

Charlie and Martin clinked glasses and roared with laughter. Then Charlie peered somewhat perplexed into his empty glass.

"Another round?" offered Martin.

"No, I'm through." He looked around and fumbled for his cloak.

"Care to make a little wager?" challenged Martin.

"Eh?" Charlie squinted at him.

"You said that for love you would give up everything," said Martin.

Charlie put his hand over his heart and nodded. "My life, even."

"Sure," Martin scoffed. "You have an unseen connection, unspoken understanding," he sneered.

"That's what I said. What are you driving at?" Charlie was getting a little annoyed.

Martin cocked his head and looked at him sideways. "Prove it," he said challengingly.

"You're drunk and so am I." Charlie stood up to test his legs. The room wobbled a little. He glanced at Martin who was still eyeballing him. "Yeah, ok, whatever," Charlie agreed vaguely.

"What shall we wager?"

Nod looked at Martin in astonishment. "You're serious," he said, his voice cracking.

"Deadly," he answered.

Charlie gave a good natured laugh. "Alright, if I'm speaking the truth about my love for Madeline, which I am, you have to buy six cases of butterbeer for the wedding." He started to walk away.

"And what if_ I_ win?"

"You can have the satisfaction of always being right," said Charlie.

"That house your always rattling on about."

Charlie turned. "My...No, you can't have my house. It's finally paid for. Madeline hasn't even seen it yet."

"Unsure, are we?" Martin smiled sardonically.

"Yeah, ok, whatever, then a barrel of wine in addition to the butterbeer." Charlie gave a halfhearted wave over his shoulder, took a few steps, spun on one heal and was gone with a "_crack_". In the morning he only hazily remembered the conversation.


	2. Chapter 2: Saying Goodbye

"'_When I grow up,' I tell her, 'I too will go to faraway places and come home to live by the sea.' _'_That is all very well, little Alice,' says my aunt, 'but there is a third thing you must do.' _'_What is that?' I ask. _'_You must do something to make the world more beautiful.' _'_All right,' I say."_

_From __Miss Rumphius__ by Barbara Cooney_

Chapter 2: Saying Goodbye

"Merlin's pants, Madeline! Whatcha packin?" growled Alastor.

"Essentials," answered his sister as she nestled her mandolin between the folds of a green and purple knitted afghan in a large blue and white suitcase.

"Don't ye think you may want some clothes?"

She paused in her packing and flipped her long coal black hair out of her face. "No, I don't think they wear clothes in Romania," she answered in jest.

"Very funny," he grumbled with a half smile.

"Well," she continued seriously, "clothes are just clothes, but my books, photos and mandolin are precious. I only wish I could pack _you_." She planted a kiss on his heavily scarred cheek. He patted her arm in a fatherly manner. "Anyway, I packed enough clothes for now, including my _wedding dress_!" Her voice got all sing-song at the end.

"I'll bring the rest of your gear when I come along in a couple of weeks to see you hitched," he said.

"Hitched? Ooo, Alastor, ever the romantic." She grinned.

"Come on and hurry now. The portkey leaves at three and it won't wait for ye," he urged.

"I know, I know, I know." She shut the suitcase with a click and lifted it. "Ugh, it weighs a ton. Maybe I shouldn't have packed the 200 Dragons of Europe _and_ Hogwarts A History."

He raised an eyebrow at her and his magical eye swivelled in its socket to look through the case.

"I'm joking," she laughed, laying it back onto the bed. "I'm not _that_ obsessed."

Her brother waved his wand at Madeline's suitcase, casting a featherweight charm on it and then lifted it up effortlessly in his gnarled hand. He watched her look around the room wistfully.

"I love this house and I am going to miss you so much, Alastor."

"Now, don't go all misty-eyed on me. You'll get me blubbering too." He offered his arm to her and she took it. They turned on the spot and he apparated them to a field where an elderly rusted plow sat surrounded by a dozen or so witches and wizards with luggage of their own. "Well, this is it, dear," he announced.

She choked back a sob and stood on tiptoe to wrap her arms around him. He unceremoniously dropped her suitcase and hugged her tightly. "My jewel, my life," he said, his voice hoarse. He then held her at arms length. His normal eye welled with tears. "Now let me take a look at you. That Charlie is a lucky man." Then he shook a crooked finger at her. "But don't let him take a husband's liberty with ye before the wedding."

She rolled her eyes, "Alastor!" Then she smiled warmly. "I love you, my oh-so-protective brother."

"I love you too, but promise," he growled.

She nodded, "I promise. Charlie's a gentleman. You've known him forever. You _know_ he's an honorable man."

A sudden thought popped into her head. "Oh, and remind Molly to bring the red roses for the wedding. Charlie doesn't like the yellow ones, although I don't know why."

"Ok, ok," he assured her.

"And be sure and remind Percy he can bring his new girlfriend. I'll toss her the bouquet." She giggled mischievously. The witches and wizards around said their farewells to friends and family and all began grabbing onto the plow.

"Ok, ok, goodbye now, my dear," he said. "It's time. Go."

She grabbed her case and touched the plow. "Goodb..." But her words were cut short as she and the other travelers were whisked away by the portkey.


	3. Chapter 3: A Hard Landing

WARNING!

FAILURE TO FOLLOW ANY OF THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THIS MANUAL COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE PRODUCT, AN ACCIDENT, PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.

_From the instruction manual of a set of Campagnolo control levers-_

Chapter 3: A Hard Landing

_Thud!_ The ground came up suddenly under Madeline causing her to sprawl out on her back. Her suitcase fell next to her, popping open and scattering its contents like a pinata. She simply blinked at the sky for a moment. The witches and wizards with whom she happened to be traveling, were all still annoyingly on their feet. They started moving away from the plow that had just served as a portkey. Madeline decided she wanted to see more of Romania than just the sky and sat up too quickly and was treated to a show of twirly silver things in front of her eyes, obscuring the beauty of the little vale somewhere in the Carpathian Mountains. She rubbed the back of her neck and then began gathering up books, parchment, a rumpled wedding gown, photos, underwear, her broken mandolin...

"Drat," she said sadly as she gently picked up the pieces and looked at them as if they were the remains of a beloved pet. Suddenly a familiar voice said, "_reparo_!" There was a flash. Her eyes widened as she dropped the newly mended instrument into her suitcase and leapt to her feet. Charlie caught her up in his arms as she lifted her feet off the ground and he spun her, causing her to laugh. Then he stopped to better breathe in her scent.

"Hmmm, lavender, rosemary, and engine oil," he said affectionately as he nuzzled her thick black hair. "Hey derry-dol, my darling," he murmured. "I missed you."

"Me too." She smiled up at him and stroked his cheek with her fingers. "You grew a beard. I _like_ you furry."

After they were through kissing, the rest of the world began reemerging into their consciousness.

The others had already moved on and the couple was left alone to gather up the remainder of Madeline's things. Charlie picked up a photo of the two of them and his brother Bill on a raft. He chuckled as the three of them waved as the raft pitched and bobbed in the photograph.

"You brought pictures?"

"Just a couple of albums."

He opened the one with the tapestry cover and slipped the photo back in among the others of their childhood and teenage years and smiled. Then he spotted the pink album with the unicorn on the cover.

"Wha...?" He cautiously opened it with one finger as if expecting something truly horrible inside. He peeked, nodded silently, and let it shut. She gave a nervous frown as he handed it to her, then she turned away from his gaze, packed the photo album, and closed the suitcase. She could still feel his eyes on her.

"Don't look at me that way, Charlie. You know I never cared for him in _that_ way. He was just a friend. That's all," she said sincerely.

"More like an obsession," he muttered. She tried to ignore his comment by biting her lower lip. He shook his head slowly, half annoyed and half pitying.

Then, he took her by the hand and immediately starting feeling the excitement return and said, "Let's go. I can't wait to show you the house! You can see the lake from the back deck. There's more than enough room for a garden..."

She hardly heard what he said; her heart was frantically flapping around inside at finally being with him after all this time, or was it the apparating followed rapidly by portkey travel? A motorbike, while perhaps not exactly sensible or swift, was really her favorite mode of transport.


	4. Chapter 4: The House and Camelia

_"In the Land of Green Ginger there is a town called Marmalade, which is inhabited exclusively by guinea-pigs."_

_From The Fairy Caravan by Beatrix Potter_

Chapter 4: The House and Camelia

"I just love the house, Charlie. It's so lovely, like a storybook." As they walked hand in hand from the simple yet enchanting wooden cottage, Madeline kicked her feet and did little dance steps beside Charlie. "I can't wait to move in." She smiled at the sky and let the sun warm her face.

"You know, you don't have to wait." He ventured, smiling at her sideways as they walked.

"Oh, yes I do." She waved a finger at him in mock admonition and imitated Alastor's gruff voice, "I'm not supposed to let you take liberties with me before the wedding."

"That's _not_ what I was thinking." He caught her eye and then blushed. "Well, I can't say I haven't thought..." He continued, "But that's not my intention. I can wait. Er, not forever, but... I mean, I'm not a _complete_ animal."

"Oh no?" she laughed. "Well,_ I_ am!" Madeline grinned and winked at him. "I just don't think I could control myself if I moved in just yet." She licked her lip flirtatiously.

He blushed more and smiled to himself, looking at his feet and thought he'd better change the subject. "Er, we're almost there. Um, you'll like Camelia. She's a very decent person and I've told her all about you. She is very pleased to have you stay with her before the wedding. She doesn't understand much English, though. I don't suppose you've studied the Romanian language book I sent?"

"Um," she said stupidly.

He laughed and shook his head. "Well, this should be interesting."

They reached a small cottage surrounded by an ornately carved wooden fence. A tall willowy woman with long blonde hair wearing brightly colored embroidered robes had her wand out and she was tending to the various flowers in her garden. She looked up and smiled as they came into the little gate.

"Salut!" she said to them in greeting.

"Salut!" returned Charlie.

Madeline smiled brightly. "Salut," she said a bit timidly. Then she whispered, "You didn't tell me she was so beautiful, Charlie." He gave her hand a loving little squeeze.

"_Camelia, this is Madeline, my wife-to-be,_" said Charlie in Romanian.

"_Charlie, you didn't tell me how pretty she was_," replied Camelia. Then She switched to English. "Very nice to meet you, Madalayn.

Madeline giggled. "It's actually Madeline," she said, pronouncing it slowly. "To rhyme with paladin!" she said smartly. "But I like the way you say it," she added quickly. "It's very nice, and I like your garden!" She was talking quickly now. "And you look nice. I think we'll be great friends," she said while thinking she felt a little short and plain and awkward, and utterly non-magical in comparison and what else? Stupid maybe?

"Oh," said Camelia. She was completely lost and smiled nervously.

Charlie smirked. "Er, I guess I'll leave you two to get acquainted. I have to go down to the nesting site for a while. I'll meet you at the house for dinner later my derry-dol." He kissed Madeline's cheek, then turned to Camelia. "_Thanks so much. Don't mind _Madeline_. She's a _chatterbox." He made a motion with his hand like a mouth talking quickly.

Madeline frowned playfully at Charlie. "Hey, I caught that."

Charlie grinned, leapt over the fence and trotted off down the path.

"Would you like some tea?" enquired the tall and graceful witch.

"Tea would be great!" answered Madeline. "Wow," she said as she followed Camelia into the house. "Your house is so neat and orderly and...elegant. And you are so lovely! I had expected you to look like a lady wrestler all big muscled...you know, because you work with dragons..." Her voice faded away because she realized she was blathering.

The witch gave her an odd look, but said nothing as she got out the teapot and cups. Madeline felt a thick silence lumbering around the room while she stood looking at her feet and biting the side of her thumb nail.

"Wow, Er..." Then she muttered under her breath, "Her awkward comment hung in the air in much the same way that bricks don't."

"Excuse me?" Camelia said timidly.

"Nothing, er...Douglas Adams," she said with a wave of her hand and a half a smile. "Muggle writer...yeah..."


	5. Chapter 5: In The Spinney

"'_You move me to pity- you are so weak on this Earth made of granite,' the snake said. 'I can help you, some day...'"_

_From__ The Little Prince__ by Antoine De Saint-Exupery_

Chapter 5: The Spinney

Madeline was prowling around a spinney stalking a chamois simply because she had never seen one of these charming goat-like animals in person before. Besides, she was bound to get along better with it than with Camelia. Anyway, she was less likely to inadvertently offend it. Anyway, there she was creeping around the trees with all her focus on the animal. So intent was she on her game, even if he wasn't concealed with a disillusionment charm, Madeline would have utterly failed to notice the sinister wizard in the fedora watching her. She had trouble remembering the advice of her brother to always remain vigilant.

Martin was thinking how Charlie's description of Madeline didn't do her justice as he secretly observed her. She was wearing a light gauzy lavender dress that fluttered in the breeze and violet-blue bellflowers in her shining black hair. The smug wizard thought he finally understood Charlie's so-called love for her, but it wasn't some deep spiritual connection. She was attractive, slender, and lithe, nothing more, and yet he wouldn't mind a girl like that himself. This wasn't only going to be easy, owing to the fact that she was just a squib, it would be enjoyable as well. With a flick of his wand he conjured it near her.

Madeline saw the air shimmer in one spot and went to investigate. She found a silver rod about a half a foot long with jewels all along its length. She lifted it carefully to examine it. Then she looked around suspiciously. She held up the rod to let it catch more light. One end was open and peering inside she saw a tiny scroll of paper. Madeline tried to shake it out but it was stuck fast. Tapping it and blowing into it were equally futile. So, against her better judgement, she put her little finger in to try and fish it out and immediately felt the sting.

Of course Martin could have simply cast a spell on her and have done with it, but that would ruin the sport. The wizard watched and waited.

"Madeline, you idiot!" she scolded herself. "Didn't you learn anything from working for Mr. Borgin?" She tried to remain calm and fumbled with her free hand for a manual release mechanism, but no luck. She prayed that the needles weren't poisoned, but soon felt the ground shifting under her feet and the sky seemed to sway slightly. "I've got to get to somebody before I pass out," was her thought. She tried to take a step, but sunk to her knees as a wave of nausea overwhelmed her. She tried to yell, but wasn't sure if any sound came out, as her ears were ringing something dreadful, like a small cymbal factory being blown up. She suddenly felt something hard hit her nose and smelled earth and blood in her nostrils and realized she must have fallen onto her face. Madeline thought pitifully to herself, "This must be Thursday." Then everything went black.

Martin slunk out of his hiding place, crouched down, and turned Madeline's small, crumpled form over to check that she still breathed. Finding her sufficiently alive, he put his mouth near her ear and whispered, "Madeline," to see if she was fully asleep. Then, because he couldn't help himself, he brushed his lips across her smooth cheek and thought hungrily, "If Charlie wasn't me mate..." Then with one fluid movement, he lifted her in his arms, stood up, turned on the spot, and disapparated with her.


	6. Chapter 6: Charlie Orpheo

"_I try to go at life as if I were acting it...It makes things simple. You just try to play the role of the hero._

_From __The Sweetheart Season__ by Karen Joy Fowler_

Chapter 6: Charlie Orpheo

As the evening sky grew dark, Charlie searched for signs of Madeline in the house and outside of the house, but found none. He had just decided she must still be at Camelia's house when he heard the faint sound of music. He paused to try and pick out the direction from which it came. It was a lively reel and he heard voices singing and laughing. It sounded as if a party was in progress a long way off, but approaching.

"_Lumos_," he said, causing the tip of his wand light up. He walked carefully toward the sound.

Then he saw a crowd of people winding their way through the trees, but there was something strange about them. The figures seemed ethereal and bathed in their own supernatural light. He thought they must be ghosts. He stood amused watching them progressing toward him. They were all young and beautiful women and men dressed in colorful medieval clothing and carrying all sorts of instruments and were adorned with garlands of flowers. He smiled, thinking of his upcoming wedding. As the procession started to wind away again, his face flushed cold and pale, for he had caught a glimpse of Madeline among them. Her face was ashen and vacant and she walked as if in a dreamlike state.

"Madeline!" he called in alarm. She did not respond. He wondered in horror, was she spirit or flesh? He ran toward the retreating group, but when he passed into their light, they promptly vanished and all was dark again. He looked around in confusion.

Then as mysteriously as they had disappeared, they reappeared a short distance away with their glow and their music springing back into life. He ran toward them, but once again when he came into their glow, they vanished only to reappear again farther off.

"Damn!" he shouted, then waved his wand saying, "_stupify_!" But it did nothing to them. "Madeline!" he shouted again in desperation. He ran toward them and tried another spell. "_Homorphus_!" But the strange band of people were not effected in the least. He saw Madeline's blank stare and his heart lurched.

He ran at them with all his strength and thought for a moment he was among them, but then they were gone again. He pounded an oak tree with his fist in frustration and groaned like a bear in a trap.

When the sound of the music began again, Charlie gathered up his resolve and pursued them doggedly. They led him to a cave, the mouth of which was partially hidden by bushes. They entered and he followed at a distance, lest they disappear again. Upon entering, their glow was no longer to be seen, although he could still hear their music and it was growing thin and faint. The sound of his own heart pounding in his chest was more audible. He cast a supersensory charm on himself and heard the sound of water dripping somewhere deep within the cave and then he felt a warm breath over his left shoulder and heard a panting sound as if a giant dog were coming closer. He spun around, his wand at the ready and saw a dim corridor going off to the left. Even with the charm, he could see nothing through the inky blackness, but he could still hear the panting. He was about to cast an impedimenta spell, when he noticed a small golden horn chained to the wall.

"What's this?" He asked himself. Then he chuckled when he read the small tag hanging off of it. "_Whosoever blows this horn will be spared the wrath of Cerberus for two hours_."

"Cerbwhat? What's that? Ok, this is a game of some sort. I'll play along." His eyes widened just as a fierce growl came at him from the dark corridor which made him jump and he quickly blew the horn. He heard no sound from it, but the sound of the dog ceased. He laughed at himself for flinching.

"Well, that was easy." He nonchalantly put his left hand into his pocket and held his wand, still glowing, aloft with his right. He smiled to himself thinking what an elaborate hoax this was and how Fred and George would approve.

His amusing thoughts drained from him like ice cold gin out of a broken glass. On the walls where his wand shined, he saw gruesome images of twisted bodies and faces in terror and pain. There were severed heads and limbs, people tied with legs and arms in unnatural positions. Some appeared to be half human and half animal such as a dog's head where an arm should be, or a zebra's body with a woman's head. There were also depictions of agonizing torture. He looked away in revulsion and tried to keep his eyes focused ahead of him. He removed his hand from his pocket and rubbed his sweaty palm on his shirt.

"Oh, come off it. This is some cheesy wall art!" Charlie called out trying to sound unruffled, but his throat felt exceedingly dry. He started to sweat, though the air was becoming cooler. He sensed a wider expanse up ahead and slowed his pace and listened harder. He heard and smelled water up ahead. He finally stepped out into a larger cavern and peering ahead he saw a boat like a black gondola on a dark lake. There was a cloaked figure with a deep hood covering its face. "Madeline?" he asked hopefully, but as he looked closer he saw its hand resting on the bow had pale mottled skin stretched over thin bone. Charlie reflexively conjured up a shield charm, but no attack was forthcoming. "This isn't..." he started to stammer, but stopped when he heard a voice. It was somewhat familiar and didn't seem to be coming from the figure. It echoed throughout the cavern.

"_Speak not another word or you will never see your lady again. Pay the boatman what he asks to carry you across the lake. When you see your lady, turn from her immediately and proceed back from where you came. She's free to follow...or not. If you touch her, you lose her. If you speak or even gesture to her, you lose her. Take no notice of her whatsoever and never look upon her until you step out under the stars. To bring her across the lake, again pay the boatman what he asks. Or, if you wish to proceed alone, pay nothing more and he will carry you back without her. It is your choice. And do not attack or all will be lost to you."_

Charlie wondered how in Hell he was supposed to remember all that? Certain sinister forces should learn to tighten up their threat lists. If this was a game, it was certainly in very bad taste. If it wasn't a game...well, he'd better follow the rules just in case. "How bad could it be?" he wondered naively. His mind started to wander to the unseen dog, but he yanked it back abruptly. No, he'd think about that later.

Charlie rallied up his confidence and approached the boat. Seeing the boatman closer up didn't do anything to calm him. It looked rather like a dementor, but however alarming it appeared, it didn't create the fog of complete hopeless sorrow typically associated with them. It held out its palm and said in a crackled voice, "Your ring."

A pack of mad Hungarian Horntails started growling around inside of him. Damn it! He didn't want to give up his engagement ring. It was nearly identical to Madeline's, a shiny silver band engraved with the image of a Chinese dragon. His was otherwise unadorned, but hers had one tiny and perfect diamond in its eye. Well, if this was all a joke, he'd get it back. If it was serious... He swallowed hard and surreptitiously twitched his wand and cast Homenum Revelio nonverbally. He slipped off the ring, and laid it in the hand of the boatman with a look that would have intimidated it if it had been an actual being. The spell revealed that it wasn't human, indeed it didn't even seem to be alive. It was more like an animated wax figure, but _something_ was controlling it and also the boat, which after he stepped on board, began gliding over the water without any visible means of propulsion. Charlie impatiently stood watching their progress to the other shore.

On the other side Charlie disembarked, stepping onto the damp stone floor. He turned to the boatman and tried to smirk at it in order to gain confidence. He failed miserably. He cast Homenum Revelio once again and this time he detected a human presence ahead. He proceeded forward at a trot and only paused momentarily when he heard a sound like something clattering to the floor. He came to a dead end and saw Madeline slumped on a large black and red cushioned chair. He had enough composure to remember the instructions and turned away straightaway, though it pained his heart. He saw from the quick glimpse that her eyes were open and he also thought he saw another figure behind her.

Just prior to Charlie's approach, Martin had flicked his wand over the silver rod on Madeline's finger and released it with a _snap. _It fell to the ground and rolled away. She began to stir. "Shh," he purred into her ear. He inhaled her scent, but kept his eyes on Charlie. He tensed slightly, hoping his friend would play by the rules.

She looked up blearily at the stranger, then blinked in confusion. She couldn't understand why it was so dark and she was so weak. "Look," he whispered barely audible. She turned her head and saw an approaching figure. She recognized Charlie's familiar form and walk, though she couldn't make out his features. She relaxed. Good, he would help her up and explain everything to her. Then he quite suddenly turned his back on her. It felt like that moment when you just realize you've tipped your chair too far back.

"Charlie?" her voice croaked. Did his pace slow, or was it her imagination? "Charlie, wait."

Her voice sounded so pitiful it caused Charlie to wince. In his mind he cried out, "_Just follow me, Madeline. Come on!_" But he remained obediently silent. Then he heard a slimy voice that got his hackles up.

"You see, my fair one, your Charlie isn't interested anymore." Madeline looked up into the stranger's eyes.

"_Martin_!" Charlie seethed in his head. "_I knew he was a fiend. If I could just cast...No, I might hit Madeline or miss entirely and completely blow it. What enchantments is he using? Is he working alone?_" Martin often boasted, claiming to have unusual talents. Come to think of it, Charlie didn't really know anything about the wizard. He didn't work for Draconem Protectus or even anyone in the village. He called himself a "trader" or a "free agent." When Charlie questioned him about it, he joked that he was just a "bloody pirate." Maybe that wasn't far from the truth. But being one of the few Brits around, Charlie had taken a certain comfort in wasting time with Martin. "_But I don't know what he's capable of_," was his worry now. He mentally whacked himself on the head for taking up with the guy.

"No," pleaded Madeline pushing the stranger's hand off her shoulder. She stood up on wobbly legs, but he caught her as she fell back. "Charlie, help." She looked up at the stranger questioningly. He simply said, "Go with him if you want." He gently helped her back up. She folded her arms around herself. "It's so c-c-cold." She followed Charlie weakly, her mind still in a fog. "Charlie?"

It was easier to mentally whack himself for his stupidity than "_whack!_" dwell on her voice "_whack_!" behind him. "_Whack_!" And _his_ voice. "_Whack_!"

Martin strutted a few paces behind the girl. He tilted his hat back with his wand and smiled at his own cleverness. "Can you see my dear?" he said gently. "Your fiancé has taken off his ring." He watched her look at Charlie's left hand as it clenched and unclenched. She began to whimper, still hugging herself. This was more entertaining than poaching and illegal trading. In those cases he had to pretend to be respectable. Evil villain was a role closer to his own heart.

Charlie's nostrils flared. "_Whack_!" He bit his tongue and forced his feet to trod onward. This wasn't fair. She was obviously under a spell or drugged. If he could just look into her face, he could make her understand. It wasn't fair, damn it! He heard Martin's voice all silky now.

"Sweet one, I don't think Charlie is interested in marrying you anymore. I'm so sorry." She felt him close behind her and he put his hands on her cold arms.

"It's not true. Charlie, tell him it isn't true." Her sobs resounded through the cold air of the cave. She ripped herself from Martin's grip. "Let go. Charlie, please." She stumbled forward and was forced to allow the strange wizard to take her arm again. She stared after Charlie in disbelief. He didn't even stop, let alone turn around. She looked up at the stranger. His look of pity was convincing. Barely audible, she asked him, "Why?"

"You really _don't_ want to know." He kissed the edge of her ear. His breath felt warm.

Martin thought how Charlie didn't deserve to play the hero with such a pretty one as this. He wasn't the type; he's not good looking enough, not aggressive enough, and simply too bloody good natured.

Charlie ground his teeth. "Martin, you monster," he thought to himself. "Take my damn house, but leave me my girl." He stopped at the lakeside. The boatman put out its hand and said in its crackled voice, "Wand." Charlie looked at his wand. He'd have to give it up in order to bring her across. He non-verbally performed, "_nox_" and the light on his wand was extinguished. He hesitated when he heard Martin's voice.

"I guess he's going without you, my dear." Martin took Madeline's hand in his as if to comfort her.

This was not how Charlie had hoped they'd be spending the evening: a little bread, some cheese, a bottle of wine maybe. Perhaps he might have to endure talk of wedding plans, but nothing like this.

Madeline stared at Charlie beside the black boat. Her head was beginning to clear a little. She recovered her hand from the stranger and rubbed her eyes and face like a child waking from an evil dream, then looked around and realized for the first time that they were in a cave. She didn't think this was a good time to mention her claustrophobia. "Charlie, why are we here?" She looked at the alarming figure of the boatman. This all seemed somehow familiar. If only she could think clearly... "Are... are you going without me?" Her voice was forlorn.

The stranger answered for Charlie. "So it would seem."

Martin thought to himself how this was going to be so easy. It _was_ a bit unfair.

Charlie dare not look back nor try to attack, at least not unless there was no other way. Thoughts and memories scurried around in his mind trying to assemble themselves in a pattern that would give him a clue as to how to communicate to her, to get her to come _with_ him. He couldn't even gesture. The voice said he must take no notice of her. How the hell...? He interrupted his own thoughts. She was silent now. What was she thinking? "_We aren't strangers, love,_" he said in his mind. "_You know me, derry-dol. I'd speak to you if I could._" She was so quiet, like when she first came to The Burrow.


	7. Chapter 7: May I Help You?

"_How can I tell that the past isn't a fiction designed to account for the discrepancy between my immediate physical sensations and my state of mind?"_

_From __The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy __by Douglas Adams_

Warning- Flashback Chapters

"_My eyes are dimmed with sorrow, worn out because of all my foes."_

_Psalm 23:4_

Chapter 7: May I Help You?

There was a loud _crack_ and suddenly a lone figure wrapped in a dark cloak appeared under the cold moonlit night. The figure trudged slowly through the snow toward the house. It paused at the end of the walkway to consider, then preceded up to the front door, but hesitated before knocking with firm resolve.

It was Christmas Eve 1974 and inside The Burrow it was warm and cheerful and smelled of cinnamon and apple cider. A little fir tree strung with popcorn and tiny handmade ornaments stood in the corner. The couple sat by the cozy fire with their boys, Bill and Charlie (four and two respectively). Molly was knitting a maroon sweater and Arthur was playfully telling the boys about Father Christmas. The eldest son was peppering his father with questions. Molly, amused, looked up from her knitting and smiled at the exchange. Bill was obviously quite intelligent and somewhat skeptical.

Then there was a sudden loud knock at the front door. Perplexed, the couple looked at each other. Arthur got up to answer it. After he opened the door, Molly saw a figure in a long brown travel cloak and large black boots. She stood up to get a better look. Both Arthur and Molly were dumbstruck. There on their doorstep with one small black eye, and a great blue magical one was Alastor (Mad-Eye) Moody, the renowned auror. Arthur wondered what this could mean. Problem at the ministry? Bad news about his brothers-in-law who were in The Order?

Arthur composed himself and managed to say politely, "Good evening Alastor. May I help you?"

It was hard to read the auror's face. Arthur didn't know him well, and his scars gave him a perpetually angry look, but Arthur detected worry, or was it sadness?

"Evenin' Arthur, Molly," he nodded in her direction. She was holding Charlie on her hip, her brow furrowed with concern.

"May I come in?" He asked in a gravely voice.

"Of Course." Arthur stepped aside to let him in and shut the door with a wave of his wand. Charlie clung to his mother and Bill stared curiously at the stranger.

Alastor unexpectedly knelt down causing Arthur to step back in bewilderment. "I didn't know what to do, Arthur." He looked up pleadingly, then back down, sighed, and opened his cloak to reveal a tiny black-haired girl in a dingy gray dress. "This is my sister." Both Molly and Arthur's jaws dropped.

Author's Notes: Ok, I get the irony of having a Douglas Adams quote on the same page as a Bible quote. Also, I don't know if Father Christmas comes to wizarding families, but he goes to Narnia, so maybe. ;-)


	8. Chapter 8: Sanctuary

"_The colour of her tender flesh was like a rose newly sprung, for one might have torn it with a tiny thorn."_

_From __The Romance of The Rose__, trans. by Frances Horgan_

Chapter 8: Sanctuary

Later on Christmas Eve Night

It was late. Bill and Charlie were sprawled out asleep on their parents' bed. Arthur and Molly sat on the sofa holding hands. Opposite them Alastor cradled his tiny sister wrapped in his rough and tattered cloak. He had just told them the story of Madeline's birth, how their aged mother abused her, and eventually, after their father died, put her in an orphanage. Now they sat pondering the problem at hand. What to do with her? Moody, ever wary, was hesitant to keep her, knowing that dark wizards might harm her to get to him. The orphanage, however, wasn't an option, as far as he was concerned. He had seen that place.

"Why don't we help you care for her?"

There was an awkward pause. The fire crackled.

Then Moody and Molly both turn to Arthur. "What?" they asked simultaneously.

"Molly could home-school her with our boys during the day and at night you could use the Floo Network to bring her directly into your house. Nobody would know. We're way out here and have no neighbors nearby and even if somebody were to ask, we can say she's our niece. It wouldn't be a problem; Madeline's the same age as our Bill." Arthur looked innocently from his wife to Moody who were both silent. Moody's magical eye swivelled between the couple. He sensed Molly's reluctance.

"Naw, I couldn't ask that of you," he growled, "That'd be too much."

"No it wouldn't," replied Molly thoughtfully. She paused to gaze at Madeline's sleepy face. Her heart ached for the girl. "No, it wouldn't be any trouble." She looked up at Moody. "I can do that," she declared decisively.

Moody was surprised and touched by their kindness. He knew he'd come to the right family and felt deep gratitude. With dealing with so much evil and ugliness, the feeling of warmth and kindness was so unfamiliar, he got a lump in his throat. His voice was more hoarse than usual when he said, "I...I don't know what to say." Molly smiled gently at him. "But ye cannot do it for nothin'. I'd pay ye for your trouble," he added.

"That's not necessary," Arthur assured him.

Molly shot her husband a glance. Moody's eye darted back and forth between the two. "I won't let ye do it without pay" he growled.

"All right," Molly said quickly as she squeezes Arthur's hand, "but just enough to cover expenses," she clipped.

Moody nodded. "That's very generous of ye ma'am." He, however, failed to point out that an auror's work hours didn't typically fit into a regular schedule. To his credit, he did feel a bit guilty about this omission.


	9. Chapter 9: Charlie's Present

"'_Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?_' _and sometimes, 'Do bats eat cats?' for, you see, as she couldn't answer either question, it didn't much matter which way she put it."_

_From __Alice In Wonderland__ by Lewis Caroll_

Chapter 9: Charlie's Christmas Present

When he got up the following morning, little Charlie saw that the little girl was still there. Her presence overshadowed the wrapped parcels under the tree. He had been surprised when the tree appeared in the living room. Usually trees were outside, but unlike the stones, leaves, and creepy crawly things that he brought inside hidden in his pockets and sometimes his diaper, Mummy didn't put the tree back outside. It stayed. Would the little girl stay too? Is this what Bill meant when he had told Charlie that they would get new toys in the morning? Then suddenly he remembered where he had seen the girl before.

Madeline sat on Alastor's lap leaning her head on his chest, her thumb in her mouth and clutching the tiny pink and white toy kitten he had produced from his pocket. She watched the boys with little interest. She had her big brother and needed little else. She ignored the memories of the other house where Mother lived, and even the big house where many children lived and one old lady. This moment was good.

Molly was pouring more tea for the adults when she noticed Charlie sitting beside his unopened presents.

"Bill, help your brother. He doesn't know what to do," urged Molly.

Bill picked up a brightly wrapped box and shook it.

"Charlie, open this one. Open it," he said excitedly.

"Show him how," encouraged his mother.

"Arthur, take a picture. Aren't you using the new camera?" said Molly.

Arthur looked up, "What Molly dear? Sorry, Alastor and I were just talking about..."

"Dear," she interrupted, gesturing to the boys, "take a picture. Look how cute they look."

Her husband smiled obligingly. He stood up, throwing Alastor an apologetic shrug and picked up the camera.

Charlie got up, oblivious to his older brother's _ooing_ and_ awing_ at the new things. He started to go toward the little basket that held all of his favorites: his little stuffed dragon, his toy piano with the four keys that made animal noises, the ball that looked like a snidget, and his books. One in particular, he just had to have right now.

Bill grabbed the back of the two year old's pajamas. "Charlie, those are old toys. Look at the new ones." Charlie fell onto his bottom and his round face went into a puckered frown.

"B-b-b," said Charlie, reaching out towards the basket.

Molly said, "Bill, let go of your brother."

"You said to make him open his presents," he protested.

"I said no such thing."

Bill was about to argue the point when suddenly one of the books jumped from the toy basket and dropped onto the floor. Unfortunately for the toddler, it was still out of reach. Molly, however couldn't have been more pleased.

"Look, Arthur dear, did you see that? Oh, my good baby!" she gushed. She ran over and scooped up Charlie who was dismayed to see the desired book getting farther way as he was lifted up.

"B-b-b uh!" protested Charlie.

"All right, love. All right." The proud mother put the boy back down.

He promptly ran over to the book on the floor, squatted down in front of it and began turning the cardboard pages with his plump fingers. - _the boy with the cat_, no, -_the girl with the owl_, no, -_the boy with the rat_, no. Here it was, -_the girl with the bat_. She had long black hair, dark eyes, and was smiling up at her pet bat flying over her head.

"B-b-b," said Charlie excitedly and pointed at Madeline who looked a bit affronted when everyone looked at her. She eyed the baby suspiciously as he toddled over with the book, muttering something unintelligibly. Charlie looked warily at the big stranger as he took the book gently from his hands laughing hardily.

"Well, would ye look at that. I do believe he thinks this is you, Madeline," said Alastor. "Betty has a bat," he read with a chuckle. She looked at the girl in the book, then leaned back against Alastor's chest and continued to suck her thumb, appearing utterly unimpressed.

Charlie was somewhat deflated at the girl's lack of interest, so he took the book back from the big stranger and returned to his spot next to Bill. Maybe she wasn't his Christmas present after all.


	10. Chapter 10: Molly and Arthur

"_...if you do one good deed, your reward usually is to be set to do another and harder and better one."_

_From __The Horse and His Boy__ by C.S. Lewis_

Chapter 10: Molly and Arthur

It had been about a month since Alastor brought Madeline to The Burrow. Molly finally got to hear the girl talk. She was beginning to think that the girl simply couldn't until one day she overheard her whispering to Charlie. She could only catch snatches: "Don't wowy Charwie...I potect you." Her pronunciation was more babyish than Bill's, who was a few months younger, and she still shied away like a feral cat whenever Molly tried to touch her, but she was growing more comfortable in her new surroundings and was quite attached to Molly and Arthur's two sons. In fact, Charlie and Madeline could usually be found trailing after Bill no matter where he was.

Though Molly grumbled to Arthur, when she thought the children were out of earshot, about how terrible it was for Alastor to drop the child in their living room and than disappear for a month, her heart sunk to her stomach when Arthur came home from the Ministry with the news that Alastor would be picking up Madeline to stay with him for a couple of days. Nobody asked _her_ if it was all right! Nobody cared how much effort _she _put into caring for the girl, how many frustrating sleepless nights _she_ spent unable to console the crying girl and all this on top of caring for her own two little ones!

"Then you should be glad to have a break," Arthur offered stupidly.

"You just don't understand a mother's heart!" sobbed Molly.

"Mollywobbles, you aren't her mother."

"_Harumph!"_ She stormed out of the bedroom muttering something about needing to get to the laundry, all the while sniffing back tears.

Arthur took an altogether different attitude about their small charge, perhaps because he wasn't responsible for the daily care of the children or maybe because he had a much more lighthearted outlook of the world in general. His approach was not without results.

One day, Arthur had just arrived home from the Ministry and was kneeling on the floor in front of Madeline and Bill. They were watching intently as he silently placed a little silver washer under one of the three plastic egg shells sitting in front of him. This was a silly little trick he learned from a muggle street entertainer. He raised his eyebrows and smiled mischievously and whispered, "Watch." He slid the egg shells around, rearranging them. "Now where is it?" Immediately Madeline tapped one shell with her tiny finger. Arthur grinned and picked it up, revealing the washer. Madeline, quick as a wink, grabbed it and clutched it in both hands.

"Me too! I want one too!" shouted Bill.

"You've got to be quick," his dad told him as he placed a small screw under a shell and repeated the process. Bill quickly pointed to one shell. Arthur lifted it to reveal the little screw, but before Bill could pick it up, Madeline snatched it and scurried away to hide under a writing desk.

"No Fair!" shouted Bill.

His dad tried not to smile. "As I said, you've got to be quick. Here, I think I have something for you." He looked toward the kitchen and back to Bill. "Don't tell your mother," he whispered as he produced a toffee from his waistcoat pocket. Bill grinned and ran to the back porch to eat it.


	11. Chapter 11: The Trap

"_Harry could not quite comprehend it. Mad-Eye dead; it could not be...Mad-Eye, so tough, so brave, the consummate survivor..."_

_From Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling_

Chapter 11 :The Trap

"I wish I had red hair," announced Madeline. "Why can't I be ginger?"

Bill gave her an annoyed look and took the stick from her. "Quit it about your hair. You're not digging." He began gouging out the hole in the lawn that he, Madeline, and Charlie were all kneeling around. "This was_ your_ idea, Maddy."

The girl wrinkled her nose. "Don't call me that, _Billy_." She laid down on her back.

Charlie interjected, "Your hair's all right. Stuff gets stuck in it sometimes, though." He picked a feather out of her coal black hair which was all fanned out over the grass like an oil spill.

She laughed and grabbed the feather back. "I _put_ that there!" She randomly shoved it back into her hair. He reddened slightly thinking that lately he had been feeling inept around her.

Charlie brusquly took the stick from Bill. "Give it here." He began digging industriously, making much better progress than the other two had. Then the stick snapped. _Crack!_ He looked at it, baffled.

Madeline rolled over onto her side to look. She raised herself up on one elbow and giggled. Charlie gaped at her and thought, "_She laughs at everything_."

"I guess it's deep enough," Madeline said with a playful smirk.

Bill protested, "It's not nearly deep enough."

"It is," she answered tartly.

He pointed out the obvious, "Whatever falls into it will climb right back out."

"It's deep enough," insisted Madeline with all the stubbornness of a mule's mother-in-law.

The two contentious children looked over at Charlie who was quietly wedging sticks around the inside edge of the hole so they angled down slightly. His ruddy freckled face frowned intently on his work. Feeling their eyes on him, he looked up to answer their unspoken question. "When it puts its foot in, it'll get stuck, see?"

"Oh Charlie, you're brilliant!" exclaimed the girl.

He got a little red again, and suppressed a smile of pride, then continued on with his work.

"I still say it needs to be deeper," muttered the elder brother as he began gathering more sticks for the trap.

"Now we need to cover it with leaves and things so the animals can't see the hole," explained Charlie. Somehow the youngest of the three was now in charge. They laid thin twigs and leaves over the top.

Suddenly Mr. Weasley came walking around the corner of the house.

"Shh!" shushed Madeline, "It's your dad.

The boys quickly finished covering the hole, then the three of them sat in a row like mini sentinels in front of the trap. They had guilty grins that the wizard didn't notice.

"Hello kids, how are you doing?"

"Hi," they all said, Madeline suppressing the urge to laugh.

"Boys, mum's made an apple pie. Why don't you go get a piece?" said Arthur.

Charlie eagerly got to his feet and paused when Bill said disappointedly, "She already said not 'til after dinner."

"I think she may have changed her mind. Go see."

Bill was the only one to notice the tense look on his father's face. He reluctantly got up and walked away with Charlie. Madeline jumped up to follow, but Arthur stopped her. "Madeline, wait dear." The boys hesitated before going round the corner of the house. There, Bill grabbed Charlie's arm and hushed him, gesturing for him to wait and listen, out of sight of Madeline and their father.

Madeline sat back down and looked at Arthur expectantly. She suddenly noticed the look on his face. This was how he looked when they had found out about the death of Molly's brothers. The blood drained from her face, fearing the worst.

Arthur squatted down to her level. "Niffler," he began affectionately, using the nick name he had given her when she was smaller and often snuck off with stuff from around the house, "It's about your brother. There was a terrible battle..." He stopped, seeing the look of terror on her face. "He's going to be all right," he quickly assured her.

She let out a sigh. She could finally breath again, but her nose was all red from suppressed tears.

"He got hurt and he's in St. Mungo's. He lost a leg."

"Lost?" she frowned.

"It was cursed off and can't be regrown. Other than that, he's fine, just a bit banged up," he told her.

"May I go see him?" she asked in a tiny voice.

"No, honey, but he'll be home before you know it."

She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Are _you_ going to go see him?"

He nodded.

"If I made a picture, would you bring it to him?"

He managed a smile. "Of course, he'd like that."

"Ok," she said faintly.

Then, she ran off to her room to get out her paints, parchment, and to cry alone, pausing only briefly to accept a hug from Arthur and to shoot the boys a passing glance. She painted Alastor a scene from her favorite Beedle the Bard story, "The Fountain of Fair Fortune." She really was very good.


	12. Chapter 12: Charlie

"'_Please- tame me!' he said._

'_I want to, very much,' the little prince replied. 'But I have not much time. I have friends to discover, and a great many things to understand.'_

'_One only understands the things that one tames,' said the fox."_

_From __The Little Prince __by Antoine De Saint-Exupery_

Chapter 12: Charlie

Charlie awoke with the sun and got dressed. He grabbed a ball of _Stooge's Sure Cinching String_ on his way out of his room. He tip-toed past his parents' bedroom. His mother was asleep with the twins. She had had a rough night with the eighteen-month old babies. Percy toddled out of his room rubbing his eyes. "Madeline?" he asked bleary-eyed.

"No, Perce, she's still at her brother's," Charlie whispered, picking up the three-year-old. He carried Percy to the kitchen and set him on a chair.

"Hold this for me, Perce." Charlie handed him the ball of string. He laid his head on the table and rolled the ball around in a sleepy way. Charlie opened the cupboard. "Let's see what he have: Clabbert Munchies or Pumpkin O's. No, wait, it's empty. We'll have the Munchies".

He filled two bowls with cereal and milk and brought them to the table. "Percy, get up. Here's your breakfast."

"No." The toddler lifted his head. "Madeline makes it better," he whined.

"Come off it, it's just like she does it. Look, I'm eating mine. Yummm!" said Charlie in exaggerated enthusiasm. Percy just toyed with his spoon, so it was time for Charlie to bright out stronger ammo. "I'll give you a cookie if you eat it all." That did the trick. The boy started to eat.

Presently, Bill came in and yawned, "Where's mum?"

"Sleeping," answered Charlie with his mouth full and milk on his chin. He was eating furiously, like a half-starved elephant in a peanut factory.

Bill opened the cupboard and grabbed the Pumpkin O's box. He shook it, looked inside, gave a disappointed frown, and put it back into the cupboard. He poured a bowl of Munchies instead.

Charlie got up and grabbed the string, leaving his dirty bowl on the table. "There's no more milk."

"Yeah," said Bill holding the empty bottle. "You might have told me."

"I just did," said Charlie, stuffing an apple and a hunk of cheddar cheese into the pocket of his trousers. Before Bill could argue, Charlie was out of the back door with a bound.

The cool morning air invigorated Charlie and he became even more eager to get to work. While Madeline was staying with her brother, while he recovered from his wounds, Charlie decided to build the fort they had been planning to make. As Charlie jogged out to the big tree, he thought about how best to build it. The first order of business was to gather the branches and old boards they had found by the river several weeks ago.

Charlie found he quite enjoyed working alone. Madeline could be, well, a _bit_ talkative and somewhat bossy even when she didn't know what she was doing - _especially _when she didn't. He felt sure she'd like it once it was finished, though. She'd be back in a couple of weeks, so he would have plenty of time to complete the project.

During the course of the morning, Charlie was aware that he was being watched by a furry little visitor -a small red fox. It kept peeking out from the shrubs. It was shy, but not completely reclusive, so he decided to befriend it. He squatted down and held out a bit of cheese and waited patiently. Two little black eyes just stared out quizzically. Charlie tossed the cheese to the fox. It retreated at first, then shot out like a fanged frisbee, snatched the morsel and zipped back into its hideaway. This sort of thing went on every morning for several days while Charlie worked on the fort. Each time he'd throw the cheese a shorter distance so that the fox had to come nearer and nearer to him each time. By the sixth day, he didn't throw it. Charlie held it out and the fox inched slowly closer, licking its chops, and craning its neck out as far as it would go. It wished its neck could lengthen out like a telescope, or would have, if it had known what a telescope was. Charlie sat extremely still, his arm as steady as a stone. He appeared the picture of serenity, but inside, his heart beat wildly. When the fox finally got close enough, it snatched the cheese and scurried back. Charlie beamed with delight, as happy as a fan-girl with a fresh Daniel Radcliffe autograph.


	13. Chapter 13: Madeline's Return

(Author's Note: This takes place a few weeks after chapter 12)

"_I wish you would just tell me instead of trying to engage my enthusiasm because I haven't got one."_

_From __The Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy __by Douglas Adams_

Chapter 13: Madeline's Return

_Boom!_

Percy began to whimper.

"Percy, Percy, it's just thunder, dear," said his mother soothingly. The three-year-old crawled up into his mother's lap. Her knitting needles worked away in the air beside them creating a long purple scarf with moons.

The morning was full of dark clouds and the rain had just begun. Molly and the children were waiting for Madeline and Alastor. The auror had healed enough to return to work and so his sister would return to the burrow that day.

Charlie was laying on the floor with the cat and reading a magazine about Quidditch, Bill sat at the writing desk building a pyramid with a set of magic linking blocks, and the twins played on the floor with a bucket of baby toys. Outside, the wind whipped the trees which scraped the side of the house. Percy was a bit unnerved by it. Suddenly there was a loud knocking on the door which made him cover is face with his little hands.

"They didn't take the floo?" said Molly scooting Percy off her lap to get up. He whined in protest.

"Relax, Perce, it's Madeline," said Charlie getting to his feet.

Molly answered the door with Percy hanging on to her frilly house coat and there stood Alastor, his traveling cloak and hood dripping wet. He had a large staff in one hand and his broom in the other. Half of his nose was missing and he had a few new scars. Lightning flickered violently across the sky behind him followed by a _boom!_ It was just your average cliche gothic scene.

Charlie tried to get a better look at the wooden leg that the auror had carved to replace the one he had lost. It had a claw at the bottom and Charlie thought it looked keen. Alastor rapped his sister on the head with his wand and she shuttered as she slowly became visible. Molly dried them with her wand as they step inside and shut the door against the storm.

"Hello Molly," said Alastor as he pulled back his hood to reveal a mop of severely graying ginger hair. "Madeline insisted on taking the broom. I thought I could outfly the storm," he growled. Madeline's face was glowing with from the excitement. The flight had felt like a real adventure.

"Oh, dear. You poor things. Well, I'm going to get some tea," fussed Molly.

"Naw, I shouldn't stay. I've got to report to the Ministry," he protested.

"That's ridiculous!" declared Molly. "You've barely recovered and the weather is so foul. Really, isn't it about time you retired, Alastor?" She waved her wand at the knitting and the project curled itself neatly into a wicker basket. "They shouldn't have asked you to come in yet."

"No, I'm fine, Molly," he said as he stumped along noisily.

Their conversation faded as Alastor allowed himself to be led into the kitchen.

Madeline dropped a large carpet bag on the floor with a _thunk_ and plopped herself down onto the sofa. Percy crawled up beside her. Charlie sat on her other side. Bill and the twins knelt on the floor looking expectantly as if Madeline were a small demented Father Christmas. She wore an overcoat much too big for her, a pink dress, and a blue and silver necktie and carried a yellow top hat with a blue feather. She looked like a secondhand store disaster, not the legendary patron saint of children.

"I built the fort!" blurted Charlie with pride.

"Without _me_?" exclaimed Madeline. "We were going to do that together." She had a strong urge to pout.

"You were gone a long time," he said in guilty explanation.

"I suppose I was," Madeline admitted thoughtfully, "but I had to help Alastor," she said importantly. She noticed his distressed look. "Charlie, It's all right. I'm not angry, and," she added, "I can't wait to see it. I expect it's just super," she said with genuine enthusiasm.

Charlie was relieved she didn't scold him and wondered how long his luck would last.

"I want to show you what I brought!" She pulled the big carpet bag toward herself and opened it. Percy hopped off the sofa to peer inside. Madeline pulled out a pear shaped stringed instrument and held it over her head when Fred tried to grab it. "No," she said.

George laughed and repeated, "NO!" which made Fred scowl. Bill pulled Fred onto his lap.

"This is a mandolin," said Madeline plucking at the strings of the instrument, "and," she continued with pride, "I can play it." She began playing an Irish tune very carefully and haltingly. "It's called 'Dragonfly'."

"Dwagons f-f-fly?" asked Percy as he leaned Madeline's her knee and gazed up at her.

"Well, they do," she laughed, "but the song is about dragonflies."

"Do dey fly?" he asked, still confused.

"Yes, they do. Hence the name, 'fly.'"

"Dey name hens?" asked Percy.

"And are they really dragons?" laughed Charlie. Both he and Bill were in a full on bell-laugh now which was causing the twins to giggle loudly.

"Or are they hens?" snickered Bill.

Madeline cocked her head to one side. "You boys aren't helping." Then she smirked, "Percy, they're just very small dragons, ok?"

"Otay," said Percy.

"Otay," repeated Bill and Charlie together. Percy looked perplexed at their laughter but smiled when Madeline hugged him and kissed the top of his head. She handed the instrument to Charlie. She pulled a glass orb out of her bag, just a little larger than a walnut. Bill swiped it out of her hand to examine it.

"That's a troll orb," she said, taking it back from him with annoyance. "If a troll comes near, it glows," she said slowly, attempting to induce amazement.

"Couldn't you just smell them coming?" asked Charlie very seriously.

"Good point," she acknowledged. "Maybe that's why Alastor let me have it," she muttered. "Here, Percy, you take it and let me know if it glows." He happily took it and tasted it which caused Madeline to giggle and kiss him again.

"Hey, why can't _I_ have the Trollembrall?" asked Bill?

"Troll _orb_!" corrected Madeline. "You're just not as cute as Percy," she teased.

Later in the day there was a break in the storm and Madeline and Charlie squelched out to the fort against Molly's protests that it was too cold and wet. She had a hard time keeping those two indoors for any length of time. Percy, not wanting to let Madeline out of his sight, accompanied them riding on Charlie's broad shoulders.

"It's lovely, Charlie, like a tiny house," said Madeline as she crawled into the little fort. It was built against the big oak tree, like a little makeshift lean-to out of branches, logs, and some old wood the kids had found washed up on the bank of the river. Under the highest part of the sloped roof, they could sit up straight. Madeline pulled a knitted blanket out of her carpet bag and spread it on the floor. Percy lay down on it and Madeline sat beside him and rummaged in her bag and found a dark green kerchief which she played with it lazily.

Charlie began excitedly, "You know what I used to tie it together?" He got no response, so he continued anyway, "I used sure cinching string and wound it around the wood in a figure eight pattern and patched up any holes with leaves and spello-tape. I figured out that if you put the branches pointing downward on the top, most of the rain runs off. Water still gets in, but dad said he'd come out put a charm on it..." He kept right on talking for a while as Madeline curled up beside Percy and yawned. She had that same glazed look Molly wore whenever Arthur started going on about Muggle plugs. "...then I made a sort of hinge so you could open the flap as a sort of window-"

"I'm going to fight in The Order when I grow up," interrupted Madeline suddenly as she tossed the kerchief into the air and let it float down slowly onto her face..

Charlie just blinked at her for a moment, then reoriented his mind to follow hers. "Why?"

She sat up. "To fight evil wizards and kill You Know Who, of course," she said tartly. "I'm going to be an auror."

"But you're a girl," he argued.

"Bah!" she said indignantly. "That's rubbish." She threw the cloth at him. "Girls can be aurors and be in The Order. There are lots of girls in The Order. She hastily searched through her bag and came up with a photograph of over twenty witches and wizards smiling and waving.

He snatched it out of her hand. "Give it here!"

"Oi! Don't rip it! I'm not even supposed to have this. Alastor would be furious if he found out I brought it over here."

"I'm not ripping it. I just want to see it." Charlie scanned the faces. "Blimey, I didn't realize there were so many. Mum and Dad never talk about the war.

"Well, there aren't that many anymore. Some of them died," she said very solemnly.

"Look, there are my uncles...and there's your brother."

"And see! Witches," she paused, "except that one got killed." She pointed to Marlene McKinnor. "And I met him and him," she said indicating Sturgis Podmore and Remus Lupin.

"I thought you were supposed to be hidden."

"I guess they're all right because they're in The Order. They were really nice. That one, Mr. Lupin, brought chocolate," she explained as if it were proof that he could be trusted. "Anyway, my brother told me all about battling dark wizards and it sounds so exciting."

"And dangerous," he said handing the photo back to her.

"That's why I'll become an auror. I'll learn lots of spells and I'll live with Alastor and we'll fight together and then come home and have dinner and play wizard's chess. I'm getting really good at it..." she went on and on. Percy fell asleep.

Charlie looked at her glumly. He had enjoyed the time while she was away, but that was partly because he knew she'd return. Now she was saying that she would someday be gone forever. Before this, they had always made plans together. Well, he'd show her how he could make plans without her too. "I'm going to be a famous Quidditch player." He let it hang in the air for a moment, watching her reaction.

"Then, I expect you'lll need a good broom. So will I."

His eyes lit up. "Dad took us to Diagon Alley. There was a shop thee full of all sorts of Quidditch supplies. They had broomsticks that-"

"You went to Diagon Alley?"

"He chewed his lip as the words echoed in the silence."

"Wow." She quickly tried to hide her burning jealousy. To her, it may as well have been the moon, or a paradise on Earth. "That's lovely."

"It sure was," he said, all relieved by her seeming approval. His optimism was rather endearing.


	14. Chapter 14: Chocolate Teapots

(Author's Note: Let's jump to Summer 1981

"_The way I picture it, Adulthood is a big sleek jungle snake swimming just around the bend in the River of Life."_

_From __Dave Barry's Greatest Hits__ by Dave Barry_

Chapter 14 : Chocolate Teapots

Mrs. Diggory was running through her mind all of the things she hoped to get done for Molly this afternoon. She rolled her eyes impatiently and proceeded to yell, "Fred _or_ George, stop yanking on Ronnie's nappy!" She muttered to herself as she started to go back into the house, "My word, I don't know how Molly can have patience for so many, and another on the way..." but her thoughts were cut short by the sound of her own son screaming. She bustled back out, "Percy, he's younger than you! Don't be a bully!"

"I'm not," argued Percy, red faced and indignant. "Cedric grabbed my book and I just took it back." He reluctantly handed the three-year old the book, but although it stopped him crying, he threw it on the ground and wandered over to the twins who were fighting over a teddy bear.

Mrs. Diggory shook her head and looked up at the clouds for help, but seeing no approaching angel, sighed and screeched, "Bill! Madeline! Come watch the little ones. I've got to get your mum's lunch!"

Madeline, followed by Bill and Charlie and a small cat trudged around from the back of the house. Bill complained, "She's been here almost every day this week."

"I guess it will be like that until your mum has the baby," said Madeline. "She's been so tired lately." She noticed Percy frowning at the ground, so she picked up his book and handed it to him with a kiss on the top of his head. Then she scooped up Ron, took a whiff, and wrinkled her small nose. "Whew! He needs a clean nappy. Take him, Bill."

"No way! You do it." He dodged and backed away when she tried to hand over the one year old. She looked to Charlie for help.

"I'll take the clean kid." He laughed and picked up Cedric, who was whining over his lack of ability to procure a toy from the twins, and set the boy on his broad shoulders. Cedric grinned from ear to ear at being high above the ground.

As Madeline sighed and took Ron into the house, she declared in an exaggerated tone of annoyance, "The two of you are as useless as a couple of chocolate teapots."

Bill and Charlie looked at each other and began whooping with laughter.


	15. Chapter 15: Black Unicorn

(author's note: still summer of '81)

"_I thought your typical unicorn was white," Martin finally said._

"_I am archetypical," Tlingel responded, dropping to all fours, "and possessed of virtues beyond the ordinary." _

_From "Unicorn Variation" by Roger Zelazny (in __Tales From The Spaceport Bar_

Chapter 15: Black Unicorn

The day was cloudy but the air was warm with a hint of lavender. Madeline lay on her back watching a couple of sparrows. "When do you think my letter will come?" she asked lazily.

Charlie was laying on his side picking at the grass and watching a beetle. "I dunno," he said.

"Maybe Dumbledore doesn't know about me, you know, because I'm supposed to be a secret."

"Dumbledore knows everything," said Bill, who was sitting up practicing flicks with a stick, imagining what it will be like to have a real wand.

"You probably won't go until Bill goes next year," offered Charlie as he allowed the beetle to walk across the back of his hand. Bill's eleventh birthday wasn't until November, so he couldn't attend the wizarding school this year.

"No, I'm eleven already. I should be getting my letter, only Dumbledore doesn't know where I am," said Madeline.

"You think that's it?" asked Bill as he tossed away the stick and stood up and stretched. He was lean and quite tall already, although he only a little over ten and a half years old.

Madeline sat up and squinted her dark eyes up at him. "What do you mean? Why do _you_ think I haven't gotten one yet?" she said challengingly.

Charlie's eyes darted back and forth between them. He didn't notice the beetle fly away.

"I don't know," Bill looked away and chewed his bottom lip in thought. "I just think..."

"What?" Madeline sprang to her feet with her hands on her hips. Though she was quite a bit shorter than Bill, she intimidated him slightly. "Go ahead, out with it!" Her tone and manner resembled Molly when she demanded a confession about who broke, spilled, or took something.

Bill looked around vaguely and ventured, "Well, you're not exactly very...I don't think you have," he paused, "any magic." His eyes widened as she strode boldly up to him and shoved him hard in the chest.

She screamed, "How can you say that? Both my parents were very powerful and I'm pureblooded, just like you!," she bluffed. In actuality she knew next to nothing about her parents. "How can you say that? _And_ my brother is an auror!" she added with genuine pride and a flip of the hair.

"Blimey Madeline," Bill argued back, "Fred and George could make stuff fall off tables when they were still really little and even Ron can do stuff, like levitate a cookie, and you-," his voice softened, "you have never done anything like that. I don't think you're a real witch. I'm sorry." He frowned and braced himself for an expected blow, but she just stood there with her lip quivering and her nose turning red from trying to hold back tears.

Charlie was standing now and gaping at the scene, but he didn't know what to say. He tried to plead mentally to his brother to take back what he said, but unfortunately neither of them were psychic. Then he turned to Madeline again, but she was already running away. Her black hair blowing back wildly was the last thing Charlie saw as she rounded the corner of the house. Bill shrugged his shoulders when Charlie glared at him. "I'm just telling the truth," said Bill defensively, "I'm not trying to be mean." He dodged too late and got Charlie's fist in his upper arm. "Ow!" Bill kicked his brother in the leg. By the time Arthur came out of the house, the boys were wrestling on the ground with Charlie getting the better of Bill.

"Boys, break it up!" Charlie kept Bill pinned to the ground with one powerful arm across his chest and looked up at his father. Charlie's nose was bleeding and blood was smeared across his heavily freckled face and Bill has a bad cut on his upper lip and a black eye. Their father calmly said, "Get up and tell me what happened." Their mother appeared and squeaked at the sight. "It's all right, Molly, I'm taking care of it," Arthur assured her.

She took her wand out of the pocket of her flowery apron which barely covered her heavily pregnant belly. "Just let me fix them up."

"Later, Molly dear," he said gently. She reluctantly waddled away.

Arthur looked expectantly at the boys. They untangle themselves and stood up. Charlie spoke first. "Dad, it was Bill who started it. He said that Madeline wasn't a witch."

"Dad, I think she's a squib," said Bill in a guilty tone.

Arthur sighed, conjured up a chair, and sat down. "Bill, even if she is, it's not your place to point it out."

Charlie's eyes widened in shock. "Dad!"

Bill was speechless, for truly, he realized that he would gladly take another blow from Charlie's rock hard fist than be right about his suspicion.

Arthur rubbed his chin and thought. "Boys, we aren't going to talk about this again until after Alastor has had a chance to talk to Madeline. Is that understood?" Their father looked at them each in turn. They nodded. "Now I guess you two should go let your mother fret over you." They each gingerly touched their wounded faces and plodded into the house. Meanwhile, Arthur sat with a frown and his brows knitted in thought.

_Later_

Madeline and Charlie were sitting by the pond watching a family of ducks. Charlie's nose was completely fixed. With so many boys, Molly had become quite adept at simple healing spells. Charlie was tossing stones into the water and watching the concentric circles they made. Madeline was weaving a daisy chain. "Charlie, you know it's true, though." He didn't answer. "_I_ know it's true. I've known for a long time, I guess," she added.

"Dad said we're not supposed to talk about it," he muttered. The clouds had cleared and the sun shined bright. The weather failed completely to harmonize with their mood.

She said, "I know it's shameful." He looked at her in mild panic but she just gazed steadily into his eyes. "Charlie, there's something wrong with me that _they_ won't talk about. I mean, what about..." but he cut her off.

"Shhh! We aren't supposed to talk about...anything," his voice faltered and then trailed away like he wished the whole topic would.

"Why Charlie? Why aren't we supposed to talk about it?" Her voice was impatient and her small fists balled up. "It's about _me_, I can talk about it if I like!"

"Ok, calm down. We can talk about it." He looked uneasily over his shoulder. "Just not so loud." He looked back at Madeline and said quietly. "And there's nothing wrong with you." He looked down at his own large calloused hands and then tilted his head slightly to look at her, squinting because the sun was behind her. Her long wavy coal black hair was a sharp contrast to his very short red hair. She was as thin and willowy as he was stout and sturdy. But lately they had made so many plans together- to live and work outdoors with magical creatures: phoenixes, unicorns, hippogriffs, but especially dragons.

"What if I can't go to Hogwarts?" He didn't answer. She tossed the daisy chain onto the water. It hardly made a ripple. She looked at him expectantly. "Well?"

Without looking at her he answered helplessly, "I don't know."

"What if no one will let me work with dragons?" She watched him and waited while he thought about that. He shrugged but she pestered him for an answer. "Well?"

He looked at her sideways, a faint smile playing across his lips. "I guess I'll just have to buy you your _own_ dragon." A wide grin spread across her face but at the same time tears welled up in her eyes and she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Madeline, don't," he mildly protested, but then put an arm around her. He felt the dampness of her tears on his shoulder and heard her quiet sobs. He said quietly, "It'll be ok. Don't cry."

Suddenly Bill plopped himself down beside Madeline. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she turned to look at him. She felt Charlie tense up beside her and put her hand on his arm, her eyes still fixed on Bill.

Bill took a deep breath and avoided her eyes. "Blimey, I'm sorry." He looked so pitiful, frowning like that, she had to forgive him.

"I know. It's not your fault," she assured him as she sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "Besides," she added as she head butted him in the arm, "you're awfully nice. If it was the other way around,_ I'd_ be teasing _you_ mercilessly." All three of the children start laughing.

"That's probably true," said Bill.


	16. Chapter 16: Ouch! The truth hurts

"'_You are a very close questioner.'_

'_Am I? -I only ask what I want to be told.'"_

_From __Northanger Abbey __by Jane Austen_

Chapter 16: Ouch! The Truth Hurts

Alastor was sitting at the little table in his kitchen skimming through "Wizarding Digest" while he had his tea. Madeline was kneeling on a chair across from him, chopping vegetables for their dinner.

"You know, you could do this quicker than I can," she said.

"Mm hm," he agreed and turned a page without looking up, though his magical eye was trained on her.

"With one wave of your wand," she said, looking up furtively at him.

"I know," he said simply and took a sip of tea.

"_Grunt._"

He answered to the grunt, "I thought you liked cooking."

"I do, but it'll be easier after I get my wand," she baited.

She chopped furiously _chop chop chop_, because he was maddeningly unreactive, like an elderly tortoise. She slammed down the knife, inadvertently giving herself a deep cut. She ignored the pain and stared vigorously at him. He slowly put down his tea, shut the magazine, looked up, and steadily met her gaze.

"Give me your hand," he said calmly, picking up his wand.

She hesitated, then thrust out her injured hand. Her brother gently took it in his and examined the cut, then placed the tip of his wand about an inch above it and wordlessly cast a spell that caused the wound to seal back up.

"Thank you," she said grudgingly, taking her hand back.

"Madeline, if you have something you want to ask me, I wish you'd just get on with it before you completely sever something."

"Am I a squib?" she blurted.

He sat back in his chair and rubbed the scruffy beard on his chin. "I'm not sure how to answer that."

"With the truth!" she said crisply.

With indignance he furrowed his brow at her. "You do not talk to me in that tone. I've _never_ lied to you," he barked.

"But you haven't told me everything, _have_ you?" she said challengingly.

"You're just a child!" he snapped. She didn't even flinch. "Ok, you want to know everything?"

She nodded. He looked down at his tea as if it would help him arrange his thoughts. Then he looked back up at his sister, his jaw set with firm resolve. She had to know sooner or later, fine, she'll get the truth. But she was so young and naive, for all her pig-headedness.

He began, "Our parents were not happy with me. You see, I had captured many people they admired and many family members of their friends. I was a disgrace as far as they were concerned."

"Were they Death Eaters?" Madeline asked, wide-eyed.

"Our parents?" He shook his head, "No, not our parents, but they didn't disapprove of them and maybe even sympathized with their goals." Alastor sighed. "So," he continued, his voice full of disdain and becoming more gravelly, "Mother got the idea in her head that they should replace me. I don't think it was so much that they wanted another child as that she wanted to hurt me. They were old; she was past childbearing age. So, she consulted very old witches, spell books, potions books- and eventually decided how she'd go about conceiving a 'perfect' son." He sneered at the word, _perfect_.

Madeline blinked and wrinkled her nose. "But, I'm a girl."

"Yes, yes," he nodded impatiently. "Now shut yer trap and listen." Evidently, the interruption threw him off track and he had to stare at his tea again before he could continue. "The first few tries were..." He paused. "...unsuccessful." He frowned as if he had a bitter taste in his mouth. "Then one day I had come to see Father who was very weak and bedridden."

Her dark eyes flashed. "I remember him. He was always in bed and I saw him..." Suddenly it dawned on her. Memories of that house had been stored in the back of some remote cupboard of her mind. Now, that cupboard was opening. "I saw him die." Her voice was very faint and her eyes had a faraway look. Her brother nodded slowly.

"Anyway," he sighed. "I had come and Mother wanted me to look to see if she had conceived and to see how the baby looked, for I had the magical eye by then and it was quicker for me to look than for her to use the 'acuminous fetus' spell. I looked. I told her the baby was fine and...," he paused with a pained look on his face, "...and I told her you were a boy."

She looked at him questioningly. "Why?"

"I told her what she wanted to hear." His voice sounded agitated.

"Why?" she repeated.

He frowned at her. "I just did!" he shot back, in that voice that told her that this line of questioning was over.

"So what did she do when I was born and she saw me?"

"She forbade me to step foot in her house again. But I still came when she wasn't there. I came as often as I could." He was talking at his teacup now, his voice, far away. "She figured that if you were the wrong gender, other things may have gone wrong. She was convinced that the baby had no magic, was stupid...weak..." He paused and then spat out the rest, his voice full of scorn. "When Father died it was finally her chance to be rid of the reminder that her last triumph was a complete failure." He caught himself and looked up, startled. But she was already running out of the room.


	17. Chapter 17: Friends and Relations

"_...we care for each other here. We are friends, and we strive constantly to amuse one another and protect one another, which are the two chief duties of friends."_

_From "The Regulars" by Robert Silverberg (in __Tales From The Spaceport Bar)_

Chapter 18: Friends and Relations

Charlie sat with Ronnie on his knee on the steps outside the back door. He had a protective arm around Madeline who had Percy on her lap. Her face was buried in the five yearr old's lush red hair. Bill sat there too. He was playing referee to the squabbling twins and trying to keep them quiet so they could all hear what was going on in the kitchen.

Inside, Arthur was pleading with his wife, "Molly dear."

There was the sound of something being hurled in the kitchen and hit a wall. _Crash!_

"What!?! Just _what_ were you thinking?" screeched Molly.

Alastor stood stock still, leaning on his staff, and holding his brown derby hat across his chest. With his face downcast, the great auror looked like a beaten man. He didn't argue, make excuses, nor explain himself.

Arthur offered a plea on his friend's behalf. "Alastor just thought she had the right to know why."

Something clattered to the floor in the kitchen. "She's just a child!" yelled Molly. "She doesn't have to know _every single thing_!"

On the back porch, Charlie murmured to Madeline, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything to mum. I just though..."

Madeline shook her head gently and whispered, "I know. It's ok."

"I'm sure he didn't tell her _everything_," said Arthur.

"She didn't need to hear any of..." Molly doubled over in pain and gasped. Arthur rushed to her side. She said weakly, "I'm all right. I just need to sit down. The baby's coming." She looked flush and breathed heavily as her husband helped her sit down.

"I'll send Errol for the midwife," said Arthur.

"I'll go get her," offered Alastor, hoping to be of some use. "I'm faster than an owl," he said feebly.

"Thanks," nodded Arthur. "It's Madam Bridget in Sedgemoor."

"I know her. I'll go." Alastor's voice was hoarse and he had a pained look on his heavily scarred face as he shoved his hat onto his head and stumped out the door. The kids climbed down the steps to make way for him. Bill and Charlie stared wide-eyed at him, but Madeline was looking down at Percy, who was hanging onto her skirt.

Alastor would only look at Bill. "Your...your mum. Well, you heard. Watch the wee ones. I'm going to get the midwife." Bill nodded. The auror disapparated with a _pop_.

"Come on, you lot," said Bill, "Let's go." Bill took command and led the other children out toward the yard. Charlie carried Ron while Madeline held Percy's hand. The twins ran ahead yelling and laughing. Bill put his arm around Madeline. "Don't worry, nothin's changed." Charlie looked at them sidelong. Bill continued in a playful vein, ruffling her hair. "You're still a brat and I'm still better at chess," he teased.

"But I'm still better at this!" said Madeline as she playfully kicked Bill behind the knees. He went down with an _oof_.

"Hey!" Bill shouted. Then he jumped up and ran after her. The kids raced to the big tree laughing. There, Bill grabbed a hover-ball and led them in a game of Dodge-the-Griffin. When he divided them into teams, he was careful to pick Madeline for his own, because she's "the fastest runner." In reality, when you're playing Dodge-the-Griffin with several small children, the game tends to be more chaotic than competitive. Even though Madeline wasn't his sibling, Bill subscribed to the common brotherly sentiment in regard to her, which was this: _Nobody hurts my sister. That's my job._


	18. Chapter 18: Ginevra Molly Weasley

_Griffindor 'til the end_

_Adventurous and brave_

_Fighting for truth _

_And the wizarding way_

_From the song "I Have Red Hair" by Ginny and the Heartbreakers _

Chapter 17: Ginevra Molly Weasley

It was late, but the Burrow was bustling with activity. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of Chicken soup and blueberry muffins. The twins were getting whiny, but nobody was bothering to put them to bed. Charlie sat at the table slicing bits of cheese for himself and the twins.

"Bill, where's the sugar bowl?" asked Madam Bridget. The midwife was preparing tea for Molly to go with her soup. She was an attractive older woman with angel soft white hair pinned up in a haphazard bun. She wore long flowing silk robes dyed vivid shades of magenta, purple, and blue. They fluttered about her gracefully as she swept around the kitchen. She thanked Bill when he finally located the sugar bowl in an unlikely cupboard and said, "It seems like yesterday when I was here for _your_ birth." There was a knock at the kitchen door.

Bill answered. Alastor Moody stood there in black and yellow wizard robes, having changed from his muggle jeans and flannel shirt. His hair was combed neatly and he carried a bouquet of daffodils.

"Evenin' Bill. Sorry to call so late. Your dad sent Errol with the word that your sister was born," explained Alastor.

"Yeah, that was Maddy's idea," replied Bill.

He smiled surprised and nodded. "That's, that's nice."

"Come in, Alastor," Madam Bridget said sweetly. She had a proper yet warm manner about her.

"Thank you, Bridget." He made a sort of nervous bow-nod thing and stumped inside, shutting the door with a wave of his wand. The midwife took the flowers from him, conjured up a glass vase and as she arranged the flowers, she said, "Bill, take the tray to your mother. Alastor, you go too." She handed the vase of flowers to him.

"Oh, I don't suppose they want..." he tried to protest.

"Nonsense. Arthur said to send you right in when you got here," said the midwife.

He nodded awkwardly. She flourished her wand and sent the tray smoothly through the air toward Bill, but Charlie intercepted it. "I'll take it," said Charlie, taking the tray out of the air. Then he gestured with a nod to Alastor. "Come on." As they ascended the stairs Charlie spoke in a low voice. "Mum's not angry anymore". Alastor opened his mouth but Charlie answered his question without having to ask it. "Madeline's ok too." Charlie paused to turn and look at the auror. He saw Alastor looking downward. "She's not angry with you. She never was, really, if that's what you thought." Charlie knit his brows in thought as they continued on up. "Madeline, well she gets upset real fast, but it doesn't last long." Alastor nodded silently. Charlie was a very astute boy for only being eight and a half.

Charlie entered his parents' room followed by a hesitant old auror. With a staff in one hand and flowers in the other, he stood there looked like a gargoyle recruited into garden statue service.

Molly and Arthur were sitting up, side by side in bed. Molly was cradling the newborn in her arms and Arthur was holding Ronnie. Madeline was kneeling down with her arm around Percy who was standing beside the bed looking at the baby. Arthur was the first to notice the visitor. "Alastor, hello, meet the new member of the Weasley clan, Ginevra," he said, beaming with joy. "Charlie, set that down there," he continued. He flicked his wand at the table beside his wife which caused the items on it to rearrange themselves to make room for the tray.

Madeline smiled at Alastor. "Look at the baby. She's so pretty." The girl stroked Ginevra's soft delicate curls. "She has more hair than Ronnie did when he was born," she said with a giggle.

"How could she not?" laughed Charlie. "He was bald."

Alastor smiled and tried to walk softly toward Molly, but he felt rather awkward and decided to change his route and moved toward Arthur's side of the bed instead. "Congratulations to you both. Er," he paused. They thanked him. Then Charlie relieved Alastor of the vase and took it to the table.

"Charlie," said his mother, "take Ginny to see Alastor. I'm just going to have a bite to eat, dear."

Charlie lifted the baby carefully. "I forgot how floppy they are when they're new." This sent Madeline into a lovely peel of laughter.

The atmosphere was lighter than when Alastor was last at the Burrow. Molly had almost forgotten her previous anger. It was as if everything that went on prior to the birth occurred a million years ago, though it was only hours.

Charlie carried his new sister to the old auror. He looked into her tiny face.

"I finally have a girl," Molly said proudly.

Charlie saw his father shoot an uneasy glance in Madeline's direction. This prompted Charlie to look at her as well. She seemed ok to him.

"She's lovely," said Alastor, gazing into Ginevra's tiny face."

"You wanna hold her?" offered Charlie.

Alastor looked as though he was asked if he wanted to take the Mona Lisa out for a pint of lager.

"Oh, no."

"It's all right," said Charlie, "she's just been changed."

"Ok, then," Alastor chuckled. He sat at the foot of the bed. Ron scrambled over after Charlie set the baby into his arms. He began patting the baby's face.

"Gentle, Ron," said Madeline. She took his hand and showed him how to stroke the baby carefully. "Ginny," she said, "you're going to need to be tough to keep up with all the boys in this house."


	19. Chapter 19: Autumn of 1981

"_Voldemort can't stop, the rock!"_

_From the song of the same name by "Harry and The Potters."_

Chapter 19: Autumn 1981

The Weasley children and Madeline were sitting at the long wooden table in the Burrow, eating the leftover cake and ice cream from Molly's birthday party- a messy yet mundane scene. Two-month-old Ginny was nestled next to her mother in a sling-style baby carrier made of purple cloth with gold stars, while Molly bustled about the kitchen. She glanced at the clock. "Daddy's on his way." Presently, there was a _pop_ and Arthur appeared in the fireplace.

"Hello, family, I'm home!" he sang. "Did you hear?" he said excitedly. Molly embraced him, careful not to squish the baby between them. "Molly, he's gone!" he shouted with a big grin. This startled the baby, who began to cry. All the kids turned to look at him.

"Who dear?" asked Molly. She stroked Ginny's head to calm her and made "_sh sh_" noises.

"He-who-must-not-be-named," he said, pronouncing each syllable slowly. "He's dead and gone." She looked at him with disbelief. "It's true, Molly." He took her hands and danced around the kitchen with her like a scene from some old Fred Astair movie, but instead of the usual big band music erupting from out of nowhere, there was the sound of children's laughter.

That evening, Arthur and Molly snuggled on the couch with Ginny and Ron. The twins and Percy played on the floor with a bucket of wooden animals and munched on candy, and Charlie watched Bill and Madeline playing chess on the low coffee table. Bill had more pieces remaining, but Madeline had just captured one of Bill's knights. Charlie punched the air, "Yeah!"

"Why are you rooting for _her_? _I'm_ going to win," said Bill.

"I want_ her_ to win," said Charlie. Madeline beamed. Then Charlie continued, "Because then I'll get to play _her_ and _she's_ easier to beat." She gasped but was still grinning and punched his arm playfully. "You wounded me." He mocked death, falling backwards, "Ugh!" The twins squealed with delight and jumped onto his stomach. "Oi, oh!"

Arthur chuckled and Molly smiled and rested her head on her husband's shoulder. It was one of those rare micro-moments in the life of a mother of seven, when everything was all sweet contentment.

"I'm so happy, Arthur. Our children can grow up in a safer world." She thought of her two brothers and sighed. "Nobody else is going to be killed. I'm so-" but, she interrupted herself. "Fred, take the sugar quill out of your nose."

There was an abrupt knock on the door. "That must be Alastor," said Arthur. Before he could get up to answer, Madeline was already on her feet and throwing the door wide open. She lunged into her brother's arms. He leaned over to plant a kiss on the top of her head. "Hello, dear," he said, in his craggily voice. She took him by his gnarled hand and led him into the room.

Arthur smiled. "Sit down, Alastor. I told the family the good news."

The auror wearily limped over to a chair as Molly swished her wand to cause a cup of tea to appear on the table beside him.

"Thank you." He eagerly picked up the steaming cup and Madeline sat down on the arm of his easy chair. "Everyone's making a right racket in town. Don't know what the Muggles must think." He looked quietly thoughtful and rubbed the whiskers on his chin.

Molly looked at her husband as he got up. "I know what you're thinking, Arthur, but if they haven't sent for you to go back in-"

He leaned over to kiss her cheek, saying gently, "Mollywobbles, it is probably chaos out there and I should help make sure things don't get out of hand or it'll take more time and effort to put things right. I love you," he added with a wink.

Charlie and Bill protested the display, "Ew, mum, dad, please!"

Arthur looked fondly at his wife, "Boys, someday you'll fall in love too." Bill snickered and Charlie's ears went red. Arthur pushed his hat onto his head and threw on his maroon and black traveling cloak. "Kids, go to bed when your mother tells you. See you later, Alastor." He left through the fireplace. Presently, Ginny started to fuss.

"Alastor, would you keep an eye on them," Molly asked, indicating Percy and the twins, "while I get the babies to bed?"

"Sure Molly. Glad to," he nodded.

With Ginny in one arm and with her wand levitating a sleeping Ron, she went to put them to bed. Meanwhile Madeline sat down cross-legged on the floor by the chessboard and scooped Percy onto her lap. "I'll watch _you_, and _you_ can help me win."

Alastor entertained the twins by conjuring tiny multi-colored snails and making them dance through the air with his wand, but his demeanor wasn't gleeful, but somber, a fact which the children failed to notice.

Time past and the twins got sleepy and started to whine. Percy had fallen asleep in Madeline's arms. Alastor said, "We should get these wee ones off to bed."

"Where's mum?" asked Bill.

Alastor's magical eye spun in its socket and he chuckled. "She fell asleep with the babies. Come on, help me out." He got up with a grunt, supporting himself on his thick wooden staff. Charlie took Percy from Madeline and Bill and Madeline each took a twin and they carried them up to bed. Meanwhile, Alastor cleaned up the livingroom with a few flicks of his wand.

When the big kids came back, he told them, "Now, get yourselves off to bed as well. I've got to get back to the Ministry."

Bill stopped him, "Wait, can you tell us how it happened? How did _he_ get killed?"

"Your dad didn't tell ya?" Bill shook his head. "Well," Alastor continued, "it's a bit hasty to say he's dead for sure and we aren't certain about how it happened exactly." He paused, then said sadly, "A couple was killed. Their baby survived."

"Who was it?" asked Madeline.

Alastor frowned gravely, "Not tonight," he said in a low growl.

"Were they in The Order?" Madeline pestered him.

"Not tonight," he said harshly.

"Were they?" Madeline seldom let go of an unanswered question.

"Yes, but that's all I'm going to say tonight," he said firmly.

"OK," she said reluctantly. He kissed the top of her head, said good night to the children, and left through the fireplace with a _crack!_


	20. Chapter 20: The Prisoner and The Rat

"_Her Ideas, from the Manner of her Life, and the Objects around her, had taken a romantic Turn; and, supposing Romances were real Pictures of Life, from them she drew all her Notions and Expectations."_

_From __The Female Quixote__ by Charlotte Lennox_

Chapter 20: The Prisoner and The Rat

Charlie, Bill, and Madeline were gathered on the floor in Madeline's room at the Burrow. Wizarding newspapers lay scattered about like a flock roosting gulls. There also lay open, a pink photo album with articles and pictures which had been torn out raggedly from the papers. Madeline pulled a fresh newspaper out of her bag. Bill gasped.

"That's today's!"

"So?" she smirked.

"_So_. This morning before dad left, I heard him telling mum it didn't come yet."

She gave a wry smile. "Well, it did."

"She's gonna give it back," Charlie interjected, then looked hopefully at Madeline. "Aren't you?" He turned back to Bill. "It's not like it's a first edition _Beedle the Bard_."

"Of course I'm going to put it back!" she said in exaggerated innocence, then added, "When I'm through with it."

She opened it out on the floor in front of her and both boys scooted beside her to read it. Their eyes fell upon the mug-shot of a savage looking dark-haired wizard.

"Who's that?" asked Charlie with revulsion.

"It's Sirius Black," read Madeline. "I know who he is. He's in the Order."

"What's it say about him?" Bill tried to pull the paper closer to himself.

"Stop it. I'm trying to read," said Madeline as she yanked it back.

"Don't rip it, or-" began Charlie, but Madeline cut him off.

"They arrested him for the murder of Peter Pettigrew, the Potters and a dozen Muggles." She turned to Charlie, "Peter Pettigrew is, uh, _was_, in the Order too. That doesn't make sense."

"Does your brother know about this?" asked Charlie.

"I dunno. Probably. This can't be," she said, touching the edge of the photo with her fingers thoughtfully. All the members of the Order of The Phoenix had been her heros for years, though she knew little about them. She imagined they all had stories of valor as spectacular as the ones of her brother.

Charlie nudged Madeline's hand aside so he could read the rest of the article.

"When asked about Black's trial, Mr. Bartemius Crouch explained, 'That won't be necessary,'" read Charlie.

Madeline frowned at the offending paper.

"What does that mean?" asked Charlie.

"It means that he did it," said Bill.

"No, it doesn't," said Madeline pertly.

"He looks crazy," observed Charlie.

"You would too, if Dementors were torturing you. He doesn't even get a trial. It's so unfair."

"Unfair?" Bill laughed. "There were a bunch of witnesses. You don't even know the bloke. For all you know, he's killed hundreds of people."

"Bill, he's in the Order. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" said Madeline.

Bill tried very hard not to laugh in her face. "Calm down." He stood up. "You're just too obsessed with the Order. It's always, "_When I grow up I'll be in The Order_!" He imitated her voice and her mannerisms. "_My brother's in The Order, so that makes me so special!"_

"I don't sound like that!" protested Madeline incredulously and yet somewhat amused. Charlie began to laugh at Bill's joke, so she shoved him away, or attempted to. He merely leaned away from her. "Don't encourage him!" she said.

Charlie gave her a playful look, stuck her top hat on his own head, and said in an exaggerated high voice, "_I'm going to catch evil wizards armed only with a teaspoon and a bath towel._"

She started to crack a smile and soon couldn't stop her own laughter; his voice sounded so funny, but her laugh came out as a snort which caused all three to fall into a fresh wave of laughter.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and they all stopped, wide eyed with guilt.

"Just a minute!" yelled Madeline as she pulled the cover off her bed and threw it over the flock of papers on the floor. They all three sat side by side on the bed with their hands folded neatly in their laps. "Come in!" sang Madeline.

The door opened and they saw Arthur standing there accompanied by Percy.

"Dadda gotta rat!" announced Percy with a big grin on his face.

The three jumped off the bed and trampled over the bedding on the floor to see it. Sure enough, Arthur had, cradled in his hands, a large grey rat.

"He's so cute!" said Madeline as they crowded their hands forward to pet it.

"I went to Eeylops to pick up owl treats and outside the shop this poor little guy was being stalked by a cat. I whistled to him and he scrambled up my leg," said Arthur with a chuckle.

"Poor fellow, he's lost a toe," said Charlie as he gently stroked the little beast between the ears.


	21. Chapter 21: The Unassuming Mr Lupin

a/n: We're leaping ahead a few months. I'm not sure this is a crucial scene, but it will give you a bit of necessary information and a nice tribute to Remus Lupin. If you're unfamiliar with the music of "The Remus Lupins" or wizard rock in general, you can check them out on "My Space."

"_So soon at school, I made new good friends. I hid and I hoped that they'd understand."_

_From the song, "Origin," by The Remus Lupins (a.k.a. Alex Carpenter)_

Chapter 21: The Unassuming Mr. Lupin

In the Summer of 1982 Arthur brought Bill to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies. Charlie, Madeline, and Percy accompanied them, but Molly decided to stay home with the four littlest Weasleys. In Madam Malkin's robe shop, Percy amused himself in the racks of clothing. Charlie and Madeline, being a bit bored, got in on the game which quickly became too boisterous for Madam Malkin's taste. She starchily asked them to leave. Arthur followed them out the door and gave Charlie some money.

"Go take Madeline and Percy to the sweet shop. We'll meet you there," said Arthur.

Madeline's eyes popped. "By ourselves?" she said in amazement.

"Just don't get into any trouble or Mum will turn me into a toad." He winked and popped back into the shop.

Madeline and Charlie each took one of Percy's hands and walking toward the sweet shop. "I'm going to get pumpkin ice-cream," said Madeline.

"I want chocolate frogs. How much you think we can get?" he asked, looking at the money in his hand.

"I don't know, but you'd better let _me_ hold it."

"Why?" he asked as he handed over the money.

"You'll lose it," she explained, putting it into the pocket of her periwinkle cloak.

"Oh," he replied simply, because he knew an argument would be useless. He didn't think that was really true, though.

Madeline stopped suddenly. "Look," she whispered, gesturing to a wizard sitting on a bench reading a newspaper. He looked to be in his early 20's but he was thin and his robes were shabby. Charlie just looked at Madeline quizzically.

"Let's go," said Percy, tugging at their hands. "I want candy," he whined.

"Wait," said Madeline. "It's Mr. Lupin," she whispered, and when Charlie looked blankly at her she mouthed the words, "from The Order." She pulled them over to the bench and timidly said, "Mr. Lupin?"

The wizard looked up and smiled kindly at the children. "Hello, er..."

"Remember me? I'm Madeline. I'm Ala-"

"Alastor's sister," he said with his eyes lighting up with recognition. "Yes, I remember you." His smile was genuine. She took this as an invitation to sit down. Percy joined them on the bench. Charlie stood uncomfortably looking at his shoes.

"This is Charlie and Percy Weasley. We're shopping for their brother, Bill's, Hogwarts stuff. It's his first year!" she said enthusiastically, kicking her feet. Lupin smiled and nodded. He folded his paper and gave the children his full attention. What else had he to do today? Apply for a job that he wouldn't get?

"_You're_ about eleven now, aren't you?" he asked the girl.

Charlie mentally braced himself. They were approaching a sore topic.

She wrinkled her nose and frowned. "Twelve, actually." Then she looked at her hands and considered for a moment before blurting with scorn, "I'm a squib."

"Ah," he said nodding in sympathy. He sighed. His eyes met Charlie's.

Charlie said quietly, "She's not allowed to go to Hogwarts. She's going to go to Muggle school." He didn't add that the worst part, for him anyway, was that she was going to move out of the Burrow and into her brother's house now that the auror was retiring.

"I see," the wizard said softly. Then he looked back at Madeline who was still looking down. "You know, you _could_ think of this as an adventure." Charlie looked hopefully at Madeline. This was exactly what he and dad had been trying to tell her.

Madeline desperately wanted to tell Mr. Lupin that it wasn't the same as learning magic and can't he see that this is ruining her life, and how inept she felt, and how unfair it all was! But she had a lot of awe for anybody who had been in The Order of The Phoenix. So, she controlled her outburst and merely smirked faintly at the ground, "Yeah, an adventure."

Lupin tried again. "Listen to me. You can't help what you are. Maybe you won't ever _like_ it, but you can make the most of what talents you do have," he said. She looked at him, surprised at the earnestness in his voice. "It's not our abilities that determine who we are, but our choices," he said. A light popped on behind her eyes and she smiled. He said, "Somebody told_ me_ that once. It's good advice, even if I forget it myself sometimes." He seemed to say this last part to himself, really, and looked down at the newspaper in his hand. He knew what it meant to feel like an outsider.

Madeline wasn't sure if he was right, but she was moved by the way he took her feelings seriously when everyone else wanted to sweep them under the carpet. It seemed like he actually gave her permission to hate being a squib and for some strange reason, that made her hate it a little bit less. She told herself that she'd think about what he had said.

Charlie saw the change in Madeline's face, then looked at Mr. Lupin with admiration. He futilely hoped that Madeline wouldn't pick this time to impart on the kind wizard, her bizarre theories regarding the murderer Sirius Black.

But, she did.


	22. Chapter 22: Spin Me

a/n: Let us skip ahead about three years. I hope you don't mind.

"_...up came Goldberry, the River-woman's daughter;_

_pulling Tom's hanging hair. In he went a-wallowing_

_under the water-lilies, bubbling and a-swallowing."_

_From __The Adventures of Tom Bombadil__ by J.R.R. Tolkien_

Chapter 22: Spin Me 

Arthur, Madeline, and Percy stood waiting at Kings Cross Station for Bill and Charlie who were coming home from school for the summer. Charlie had just finished his first year at Hogwarts and Bill, his third. Madeline did a little pirouette, watching her own light cotton sky blue dress twirl. It was much more graceful looking than the thick wool of her school uniform. She did one too many turns, got dizzy and stepped backwards onto Percy's foot. His composure was disrupted and he pushed her away.

"Watch it!"

"Sorry," she said with a laugh and a roll of the eyes. She thought he took everything much too seriously.

"Can you just stand still?" Percy looked around, feeling they were attracting too much attention.

Madeline replied simply, "No," as she leaned on Percy's shoulder to do an arabesque.

"You're being silly." Percy felt that playing the part of a ballet bar insulted his dignity. He might be several years younger, but he simply knew _he_ was more mature.

Arthur was oblivious to their bickering as he chatted happily with the other wizarding parents. Then the whistle of the Hogwarts Express attracted the attention of everybody and the rumble, as well as the sudden breeze preceded the appearance of the train.

"Hurray! They're here," exclaimed Madeline as the train came to a stop. She flipped her hair back, thwapping Percy in the face with her long black mane. He wrinkled his nose but didn't bother to complain. The girl stood on tiptoe to try to see Bill and Charlie as Hogwarts students poured out of the train to meet waiting parents and younger siblings. Madeline had temporarily forgotten how jealous she was of Bill and Charlie. She suddenly pushed through the crowd and rushed forward to Charlie who had just stepping off the train. She slammed into him and tossed her arms around his neck lifting both feet off the ground. His sturdy frame easily withstood the weight of the slight girl. He grinned. "I missed you too, Madeline." Bill disembarked sometime later with a friend and followed by a gaggle of giggling girls. Madeline collected him by taking him by the arm and pulling him back to their little group, much to the dismay of the girls.

Later that day, under the big oak tree at the Burrow, Charlie leaned on the trunk, devouring a peach and Madeline sat in the tire swing reading aloud from a little book.

"Hey! Come derry-dol, merry-dol, my darling! Sitting on the door-step chopping sticks of willow, while fair Goldberry combed her tresses yellow,"she read.

"Where'd ye get that?" asked Charlie between bites, peach juice on his chin.

"Bought it at a Muggle bookshop. His name's," she glanced at the cover, "Tolkien. Isn't this so sweet?"

He gave a grunt that could have been a "yes" or a "no," threw the peach pit into the bushes and started to lick his fingers.

"Spin me," she said leaning backwards holding onto the tire swing with one hand. The other hand clutched the book to her chest.

"No, I'm going inside to get something to eat."

"You just had something. Spin me," she demanded.

He wiped his hands off on his shirt and started to walk away. "Naw, I'm getting something to eat."

She gave a high pitch shriek in protest. He winced at the sound, but came back, with a sigh of resignation, to spin her on the swing.

The odd thing about being out of a situation for any length of time is that when you return and find that other people haven't changed, you often discover that _you_ _have_. The real trick was to convince everyone else of that fact.

"Madeline."

"Yes, Charlie?" Her eyes were shut tightly.

"I don't have to do this."

She squealed as she un-spun like a billywig.

"Ha ha! That was fun! Your turn." She tried to stand up on wobbly legs, teetered, tottered, and then fell on her behind. "That is, just as soon as I can stand up," she laughed.

He was slightly chagrined at his failed attempt at being assertive.

"I'm going inside now," Charlie announced emphatically, more because he wanted to declare his self-determination, than actually wanting to go into the house. In fact, he secretly wanted to have a turn on the swing. She pouted at him but he ignored it and began to walk away.

"Come back."

Nothing.

"Come back or I'll go home!"

Nothing.

"Charlie!" she screeched.

He kept walking.

"_Harumph!_" stated Madeline. She picked herself off the ground and followed him to the house where they had pumpkin pasties, a glass of milk, and swapped school stories.


	23. Chapter 23: The First Spell

a/n: Yes, we're skipping ahead again and quite far, too.

"_All I know is that I'm thrilled by your kiss. I don't know any more than this."_

_From the song, "Po' Boy," by Bob Dylan_

Chapter 23: The First Spell

Charlie had just returned for the Christmas Holiday of his sixth year at Hogwarts and had just turned seventeen (the legal age to perform magic outside of school) earlier in the month. He now sat with Madeline on the maroon and gold Turkish carpet beside the fireplace in Alastor Moody's house. Madeline's tri-color basenji, Cleopatra, lay on the sofa, her front paws crossed most elegantly.

"Are you ready?" asked Charlie with a glint in his eye.

"Of course! I'm so excited. Your first spell outside of school. Wow!"

"Well, first legal one, anyway," Charlie chuckled. He leaned toward her. "Remember when I told you I'd get you our own dragon?"

She nodded.

"I've got you three," he said keeping eye contact with her, trying to maintain an air of gravity.

She raised one skeptical brow. "Real dragons?"

"Well."

"And they fly?" She raised the other one.

He gave her an _Are-you-quite-finished?_ look

"Ok, I'll be quiet now." She tried not to snicker.

"Observe." He made a little curlie cue motion with his wand and uttered the incantation, "_Odonata._" A trio of brilliant turquoise dragonflies sprang into existence and danced in the air above his wand. Cleopatra gave a whine. Madeline's eyes lit up as she beamed at him and clapped her hands, sending the dog into a fit of squeal-like sounds.

"Oh, Charlie, they're so pretty!" Exclaimed Madeline.

He sat up straighter with pride. The reception was even better than he had hoped for. With three flicks each dragonfly went out like a candle flame extinguished. She applauded again. You'd think this was the most amazing feat ever attempted. Charlie thought this might be a good moment to ask her the thing that had been on his mind.

"Madeline," he said, staring at his own hands.

"Yeah?" she answered, twirling her finger in her hair.

The dog had settled down to watch the fire. It suddenly seemed so quiet in the room. He blushed and felt his words begin to abandon him, but when he glanced up she gave him an encouraging smile. The fire caused shadows to dance around the room and she was bathed in a warm light.

"You remember when I came home that one summer and I told you about how I saw Bill kissing that girl?"

She laughed"I remember. You said you'd never done that and I said that I hadn't either."

He nodded, "Then you said," his speech faltered a little, "that we should try it."

She laughed. "We were so dumb. I couldn't stop laughing."

"Like now." He blushed. "Well, I think I could do a better job now." He tried to look at her without actually meeting her eyes. His nervous look made the solidly built young man all the cuter in Madeline's opinion.

"You could try," she said.

He couldn't move or even look at her. His ears felt hot.

She scooted up next to him, rose up on her knees, and put her hand on his shoulder. He looked up and their eyes met. He brushed her hair back and laid his hand on the back of her neck and leaned over and tenderly kissed her.

"Would you like to be my girlfriend?" he ventured timidly.

"Yes," she whispered. She slipped both arms around his neck and kissed him again. He felt his heart jump for joy.

This is how they were when Alastor stumped into the room noisily. He had obviously seen what they were doing and had come to intervene. An older brother with a magical eye made an excellent chaperone. They broke apart. Madeline grinned and Charlie froze.

"Hello Charlie. You're here late," Alastor growled.

It was well known in the wizarding world (and among several boys from Madeline's school) that Alastor Moody was the most reliable source of intimidation in all of England. No one was more aware of this fact than Alastor Moody himself.

"Er..." was all that Charlie could manage in reply. He got up and stood like a soldier at inspection.

"Is there something you wish to say to me?" Moody continued, leaning heavily on his staff. Even in a plaid flannel robe, he was an imposing figure.

"Alastor," Moody prompted him, but getting no response, he continued. "I would like..."

Charlie, catching on, reanimated himself and said quickly, "Alastor, I really would like...eh..." He faltered.

"To date..." Alastor continued to prompt.

Charlie took a breath and rattled off, "I'd like to date your sister." He hastily added, "please..." and then a "sir" for good measure. His heart beat wildly in his chest like a stampede of wild centaurs.

Madeline kept looking back and forth at each of them with a hopeful expression.

Finally Alastor said matter-of-factly, "Yes, that would be all right with me, Charlie. I'm so glad you asked."

Madeline squealed with delight and leapt to her feet and threw her arms around her brother. "Thank you!"

He kissed the top of her head.

Charlie sighed with relief. He held out his hand to Alastor after Madeline released him from another exuberant embrace.

Charlie's eyes widened in shock and a bit of fear when Alastor grabbed his hand and pulled him in for a one-armed hug and a firm pat on the back.

"I know you won't do anything to disappoint me, lad," he said gruffly.

"Eh...no," Charlie said weakly.

Then he suddenly got Alastor's meaning, shook his head and said quickly, "No, don't worry about that. I wouldn't..."

Madeline looked at him curiously and somewhat amused.

Moody nodded, satisfied that he could trust Charlie with his only sister, probably better than he could trust Madeline herself.


	24. Chapter 24: Wimbourne Wasps

_And if you say this life ain't good enough  
I would give my world to lift you up  
I could change my life to better suit your mood   
Cause you're so smooth _

_From the Santana song "Smooth."  
_

Chapter 24: Wimbourne Wasps and a Waiting Woman

Charlie wiped his sweaty palms on his scarlet and gold Quidditch robes. Why was he so nervous? It must be the anticipation over the big match against Slytherin and the scout from the Wimbourne Wasps watching. That must be it. Would he do something dumb? Fall off his broom or smack into the stands? That doesn't happen to Charlie. It hadn't in all his time at playing Quidditch. Why would it now? Why oh why did he invite Madeline? Why be nervous in front of_ her_? This was _Madeline_ for goodness sake! He grew up with her. She said she would be his girlfriend. That was it. It was too good to be true. He was going to make a fool of himself and she'd drop him like a fetid chizpurfle. But what did she care about Quidditch anyway? She was out of school and working. He felt like a dumb kid. And _flying fish brains_! The scout from the Wasps was watching! His insides felt all twisted.

Focus on the game, he told himself. Don't look at her, don't look at the scout. The snitch, just pay attention to the snitch. When he came out onto the Quidditch pitch, he immediately craned his neck around to search for her in the crowd. There! She was leaning over the railing and waving to him. His heart leapt. He felt a shove from behind.

"Come on Charlie," said a teammate.

He tore his eyes from Madeline. "Sorry." He mounted his broom, and at the whistle, took off.

The snitch. The snitch. The snitch. Her silky black hair. Her smile. A bloke shouldn't have his girlfriend at his game. He felt self conscious. Her smile...her little waist.._.the snitch the snitch_! He could be playing pro one day. Something clicked on in his head and he was after the tiny winged gold ball like a hound dog on the scent.

Madeline leaned farther over the edge of the railing cheering wildly.

"Sit back, dear. You'll fall and break your neck," said Alastor.

She sat back. "Look at him go!" She turned briefly to Arthur and Alastor. "Did you see that? He's amazing." This was the first real match Madeline had ever seen Charlie play in. She was quite impressed at his performance and very proud that the crowd was cheering him on. The students were all cheering him on! _Her_ Charlie!

After the match, Madeline was making her way down the steps of the spectator stands when she ran smack-dab into a Hufflepuff girl with long magenta hair.

"Oop! I'm so sorry," said Madeline.

"No, it's my fault," said the girl. "Hello, were you sitting with Mad-Eye Moody?"

"Yeah. He's my brother."

The girl's eyes got as big as saucers. "You're joking! My stars," she gasped. "He's my hero." She grabbed Madeline's arm. "You just have to introduce me. Please?"

"Sure," said Madeline. "By the way, my name's Madeline."

"Oh! I'm-" she thrust out her hand and accidently fell forward onto Madeline as a couple of Slytherin's pushed past.

"Watch it," one sneered.

Both girls cringed.

The Hufflepuff girl continued, "I'm Tonks, Nymphadora Tonks, but please call me Tonks. I get teased," she added.

"Good to meet you Tonks." They shook hands. "Come on."

Tonks followed Madeline back up the stands to where Alastor and Arthur were talking with Professor McGonagall.

"Alastor, this is Tonks," said Madeline.

Tonks tripped over Madeline as she made her way forward to shake hands with the auror and nearly fell into his lap.

"Oh," she blushed. "Sorry."

"You alright, young lady?" asked Alastor.

"Fine." She looked star struck.

Presently, Charlie came up the steps behind Madeline.

"Hello," he said. She practically flew into his arms. He grinned. "I've got to tell you something," he said. She glanced at her brother who was being fawned over by Tonks who was peppering him with questions and compliments.

"Let's go," said Madeline and the two of them jumped down each step hand in hand and then walked a ways before saying anything. "You were amazing, Charlie. But the match didn't last very long."

"Yeah, that happens," he chuckled, "when the snitch is caught early on."

"You mean, when _you_ catch it," she said.

"Well, yes," he blushed modestly. "I got lucky," he shrugged.

"This is such a great place. I'm so envious. I was always jealous that I couldn't go to Hogwarts, but now I really know what I'm missing," she said excitedly. He tried to interrupt but she went on. "I went with Fred and George out to see the magical animals and oh-"

"Yeah, Madeline," he laughed. "Wait, I need to-"

"It was incredible-" she began.

"Yes, but, I have to tell you." He stopped walking and planted himself in front of her. "I got an offer to play Quidditch professionally."

"Wow!" Her face lit up. "That's fantastic!"

"It is, but," he began, "they want me to start training with them this summer. This means that I wouldn't return to Hogwarts next year."

"I don't understand. You wouldn't finish school?" she said.

"No." He shook his head slowly. "I don't know what I should do."

"Quit school, of course!" Madeline herself didn't finish sixth form, which isn't compulsory in Muggle schools in England.

"Really?" he said.

She nodded. He smiled at her spontaneity and wild abandon.

"You know, I won't make a lot right away, but if I'm good, then _wow_!" He smiled with his entire face.

"If you're good? Of course you are! Everyone was cheering for you. Didn't you hear them?"

"Yeah," he blushed again.

"You'd get out of school earlier and well..." her voice softened, "I miss you."

"I miss you too." They kissed and he whispered. "We could get married sooner."

"I'd like that." She beamed.


	25. Chapter 25: The Banshee

"_The Answer to the Great Question...of Life, the Universe and Everything...Forty-two," said Deep Thought, with infinite majesty and calm._

_From The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy__ by Douglas Noël Adams_

Chapter 25: The Banshee

Charlie stepped out of the Kings Cross Station and looked around searchingly. He finally caught a sight that made his heart burst with a glow warmer than any summer sun. Then he sprinted across the street through traffic toward Argyle Gardens. There was his girl, Madeline, hair hanging long and wavy, wearing a pair of jeans, a long purple baby-doll shirt, and black boots. She stood beside a vintage motorcycle and was smiling radiantly at him. She waved her arm ceremoniously in front of the bike as if it were the first prize in a television quiz show.

He grinned admiringly. "Dad said you rode it here. I can't believe it!"

"It rides beautifully!. Well, in a smelly, rumbly sort of way," she admitted with a laugh.

Charlie tapped on the registration plate that read "42 DNA," and chuckled. He ran his hand over the smooth surface of the forest green tank. "This is marvelous. I must admit that I wasn't sure you and dad could get it working. I remember it in dad's shed, so old and junky looking." He stepped back and looked it up and down. "Does it fly?"

A passing Muggle gave them an odd glance.

"No," Madeline answered. "It's just a muggle bike." She wrinkled her nose and thought a bit. "Well, that's not entirely true." She got closer to him and lowered her voice so the Muggles wouldn't hear. "Your dad _did_ use quite a bit of magic on it, but that was mostly just to get it to stop leaking and rattling," she said with a snort, which caused Charlie to start laughing hard at her. "And it was never junky!" she said in mock defensiveness. It's a 1922 Banshee, very rare, you know."

"No, I _don't_ know," Charlie smirked. He took her hand and looked into her eyes. "Do I get a kiss?"

She bit her lip thoughtfully. "I don't know. You're still a schoolboy," she said, half teasing and half peeved. In truth, she was extremely disappointed that he had decided to go back to Hogwarts in the fall instead of quitting school to take the Wimbourne Wasps' offer. On the other hand, she had missed him very much. "Alright, I'll let you kiss me," she said.

He kissed her tenderly and whispered in her ear, "It's so nice to be back."

We will now lightly pass over the inevitable sickeningly sweet scenes of youthful romance. Suffice it to say, they had lively motorcycle rides, leisurely hikes in nature, and plenty of doing absolutely nothing in particular. Their parting at the end of summer, left Charlie feeling hopeful of a bright future and Madeline disgruntled and impatient.


	26. Chapter 26: The Letters

_But oh mama, ain't you gonna miss your best friend now?  
You're gonna have to find yourself  
Another best friend, somehow.  
_

_From the song, "Down in the Flood," by Bob Dylan_

Chapter 26: The Letters

Charlie dropped his toast, marmalade side down, as he stared at the letter in his other hand. He was suddenly wide awake at breakfast that morning of his seventh year at Hogwarts. His friend Brody noticed his change of mood and the letter in his hand just as the owl who delivered it took off.

"It's from the dragon reserve," said Charlie.

"Open it," said Brody.

Charlie swallowed hard and started to open it slowly. This was too much for Brody, so he grabbed it from Charlie and ripped it open. Charlie leaned over to look at his purloined letter.

"You got the position!" shouted Brody. Charlie took the letter back from his sandy-haired friend, hardly daring to believe.

"Yes!" he shouted as he thrust it up into the air. Several Gryffindors looked over.

At his next opportunity, Charlie dashed off a note to Madeline.

_M,_

_I've applied and was accepted at a dragon reserve in Romania. It sounds like a paradise. The dragon keepers live in an all wizarding village hidden in the Carpathian Mountains. I'm afraid I'll have to leave just a couple of days after I get back from school, but Wow! What an opportunity._

_Charlie_

Madeline's heart sank to her belly after she read the note from Charlie. She crumpled it in her hand and dropped it in the waste bin. In a moment she had her jacket slung over her shoulder and she was half way out the door.

"Where are you going?" asked Alastor.

"Out." The door slapped and soon her Banshee was heard wheeling away.


	27. Chapter 27: Parting Words at The Burrow

_You told me goodbye, how was I to know_

_You didn't mean goodbye, you meant please don't let me go?_

_From the song, "High Time," by The Grateful Dead_

Chapter 27: Parting Words

In the Burrow kitchen, Molly handed Madeline a tray of chocolate cauldron cakes. "Take these out to the table, dear." Madeline obeyed mechanically, but her heart was in tatters.

All the Weasleys, except Bill who was in Egypt, were there for Charlie's going away party, as were several of his friends. Charlie couldn't figure out what to make of Madeline's somber mood.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asked as he popped a cockroach cluster into his mouth.

"Wrong?" She swung her hair around and looked at him icily. "Nothing, absolutely nothing." She sauntered away to flirt shamelessly with one of Charlie's friends. Charlie eventually cornered her again.

"Look," he said. "We have to talk. I'm leaving in the morning."

"Leaving?" said Madeline with raised brows. "Oh, ha ha ha, so you are. To that silly dragon place in Rome."

"Romania," he corrected.

"Oh, of course! How silly of me. The dragon zoo," she said.

"Reserve," he said.

"So childish, but you always were," she narrowed her eyes at him, "_childish_." She didn't notice the pained look on his face as she strutted toward the door.

"Madeline," he pleaded.

"Goodbye Charlie. I've got to go," she said.

"Where?"

"Another party," she lied. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye," he said in a weak voice.

She went out the door, ran down the steps, and glanced at the house before hopping onto her motorcycle. She did a fishtail in the dirt before speeding out of the yard and away.

At home, the following day, Alastor confronted his sister.

"Beloved, it's my duty to tell you when you're wrong. You behaved very badly." Alastor's voice boomed strong and clear.

"You don't understand. He was leaving me anyway. What did it matter?" Madeline shouted back sassily.

"It's not all about _you_." he said.

"But I love him!" She sniffed back tears.

"The genuineness of your love is proved or disproved by your concern for him," he said steadily.

Her anger drained away and a sickening shame took its place. Suddenly, Madeline looked so small and forlorn. Alastor hobbled over to her and pulled her into an embrace. She cried into his shirt.

"Don't throw away your friendship," he whispered.

"I guess I always knew I wasn't good enough for him." Her words were choked by sobbing.

"That's not it. You know he never meant to hurt you."

"I know."

He stroked her hair as she continued to dampen his shirt for a while. Then he held her at arms length and looked at her with stern sympathy.

"Well, ya made a complete arse of yourself, but I know ya can repair it. Write to him, dear."


	28. Chapter 28: Charlie is in Romania

"_Of course I love you," the flower said to him. "It is my fault that you have not known it all the while." _

_From The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery_

Chapter 28: A New Beginning

Charlie's mind was about a million light years away when he nearly collided with another wizard outside the door of his new home in Romania.

"Oh, is this you?" he said indicating the number on the door. The other, a short, round young man looked at the parchment in his hand.

"Cabin 3C. Yeah, that's me," he answered.

"Me too. I guess we're room mates." Charlie held out his hand. "Charlie Weasley."

"Nottingham Goyle," said the other as they shook hands. "Friends call me Nod. Good to meet you, Charlie."

They went inside and dropped their luggage.

"They don't give us much room, do they?" said Nod. The cabin was a tiny house in a row of houses all joined together. There was one room for eating, sleeping, and sitting. Plus there was a bathroom. Every novice dragon keeper was guaranteed a cabin just like it.

"It's great," said Charlie, exhilarated to have a place of his own, even if it meant sharing with a stranger.

"You graduate recently?" asked Nod.

"Yeah, just graduated," said Charlie. There wasn't any need to say which school. Both were Brits, therefore it was assumed both had attended Hogwarts.

"Two years out for me," said Nod.

"Oh yeah? Then you were in my brother, Bill's, class."

"Bill _Weasley_, eh?" He rummaged around in his memories, then burst out cackling. "Gryffindore! Ha! Here's to rivalry mate." He extended his hand and Charlie shook it gingerly. "I'm Slytherin." He laughed again and slapped Charlie on the arm. "Hello, you've to quite an arm there. Solid as a rock, mate." Charlie gave an uncomfortable half smile. "Here, I don't wanna get into a fight with you without me wand handy, eh?" said Nod.

Charlie smirked and chuckled as he began unpacking. He laid out a bundle of brochures on the table that would serve as both desk and dining room. Nod thumbed through them.

"Are you taking the Romanian class?" asked Charlie.

"No," answered Nod.

"Well, we are in Romania," said Charlie.

"It's an international organization. There's probably a dozen nationalities here. You gonna learn all their languages?" said Nod.

"Well, no," admitted Charlie.

"Who do you think forked over the money to set this place up? We did. They should learn English, besides, we're the superpower here," said Nod.

Charlie just shook his head with an incredulous laugh. Yes, he thought, Noddingham was a true Slytherin. Charlie unpacked a picture of Madeline posing on her motorcycle.

"Who's the bird?" asked Nod.

"She is..."Charlie hesitated, "..._was_ my girlfriend."

"She break it off with you?"

"I don't know. She seemed pretty through with me when we parted," Charlie said sadly.

"Don't let it get you down. There are plenty of girls here," said Nod.

"No one like Madeline," Charlie said quietly.

The following morning, to Charlie's surprise, Madeline's owl, Medard, delivered a letter to him.

_Dearest Charlie,_

_I'm so dreadfully sorry I ruined your party and even more sorry that we parted on such a sour note. I behaved very badly and beg your forgiveness. Please think well of me in Romania._

_M_

And so the two continued to correspond often after that, though they each felt broken. Both went on thinking that the other was no longer in love and each one was resigned to being merely friends. Charlie threw himself into work and Madeline went through several crumby jobs and even crumbier boyfriends.


	29. Chapter 29: The Death of a Friend

(author's note: Madeline has been back home in England for around about a year. It's June of 1996. Again, I implore you, read "Sirius Black's Sanctuary." Okie dokie, let's get on with the story. We're almost at the end!)

"_And though you're gone, you're with me every single day believe me."_

_From the song, "Days," by The Kinks_

Chapter 29: The Death of a Friend

The faint light of the newly risen sun poked through the curtain in Madeline's room. She put her arm over her face with a small groan, then sensing a presence, she sat bolt upright and turned to see her brother sitting stock still, fully dressed,. including cloak and boots. He was leaning on his staff and looking at his hands. He slowly met her gaze. She got a queasy feeling in her stomach. She knew whatever it was, she wasn't going to like it. She had a strong urge to leap out of the window, but decided she'd rather face it, whatever it was.

Her own voice broke the silence. "Who's dead?"

He flinched ever so slightly and said in a hoarse whisper, "Sirius."

Time took a respectful pause as the name washed over her skin. She resisted so that it didn't sink in right away. Once it did, it hit her heart like a concussion and she felt dizzy. She turned away from Alastor to study the curtains. How could everything in the room be so still and quiet with all the commotion going on inside her? How dare the sun keep on rising?

_Sirius Dead_...the two words didn't match at all, like _purple devotion_. The two concepts were incongruous.

"No" was all she was able to utter, but to deny a truth wasn't the same as changing it. She covered her head in her blanket and rolled into a tight bundle and began to cry.

"Dear," Alastor began.

"No, go away," she commanded. He obeyed.

_His face_...She had read somewhere that sheep, common muggle sheep, could remember the faces of fifty other sheep for over two years. Why couldn't she call to mind Sirius's face when she had only just seen him two days ago? He had begged her to come the following day, which was yesterday, but she was too busy. _"Too busy_." She didn't know it at the time, but those words had hung over her head from a thin piece of string. The string had snapped at some point last night without her even knowing it. _Wham! _Who will it be next time?

Later, when she emerged from her room she felt like an empty cocoon- hollow and dry and willing to hear the whole tale of the death of Sirius Black.


	30. Chapter 30: Charlie is Back

_"There was no doubt about the Magic this time."_

_From __The Magician's Nephew__ by C.S. Lewis_

Chapter 30: Charlie is Back

"I'm grateful that you agreed to come, Charlie," said Alastor as he remotely poured the tea with his wand.

"Alastor, I don't know what use you think I could be," said Charlie as he leaned one arm on the little table in Moody's kitchen and fidgeted with a teaspoon.

"Charlie, you've known Madeline for a long time. You know her mind, how she is. Charlie, she can't take care of herself. She _won't_ take care of herself. If something should happen to me..."

"She can take care of herself just fine." He looked up. "Alastor, is everything ok with you?"

The auror took a slurp of tea and considered before speaking. "I'm not as young as I was during the first war. After the incident with Crouch Jr., I realized that I don't have the reflexes I once had. There's a good chance I won't survive this war."

"War? You think we're in all out war?"

"Damn! What do ya think we've been doing with the Death Eaters, playing 'Dodge the Griffin'?!?!" boomed Alastor. "People are getting killed!"

"Then, you're saying I should move back to England?" asked Charlie.

"No. Stay put in Romania, only take Madeline back with you," said Alastor.

Charlie shook his head. "In case you haven't noticed, Madeline no longer wants me." Charlie surprised himself by no longer feeling intimidated by Alastor the way he used to be.

"Stupid boy," spat Alastor. "Of course she does! Why do ya think she's been making an ass of herself ever since you left her?"

"Left her?!?! I didn't, you've got it backwards. _She_ left_ me_," said Charlie.

Alastor looked hard into Charlie's face. Charlie felt his mind being probed.. "You should tell her how you feel," said Alastor in a low rumble.

Presently, they heard a motorcycle engine outside. Alastor stood up. "Oh, and there she is now," he said with all the innocence of a bear with its paw in the bee hive. He left a stunned Charlie and met his sister at the front door. "I'm going out, dear. You have a visitor."

Madeline furrowed her brow and whispered, "Who?" Her brother just winked, stepped onto the porch and disapparated with a _Pop_.

Madeline Dropped her bag and jacket onto the floor and kicked off her boots before tip toeing to the kitchen. She peeked her head around the corner.

"Charlie!" she shouted. He stood up and looked sheepish. She ran at him and threw her arms around him in a hug while lifting her feet of the floor. When she let him loose again, she stepped back a pace to look him over. "How are you?" she asked.

He didn't answer but instead asked, "How are you?"

"Fine," she said noncommitally.

"Yeah?" he inquired. "I heard what happened to your friend, Sirius," he said quietly. Charlie hadn't gotten a letter from her since before Sirius died. He only heard about it through Alastor and Bill.

She nodded and looked down. "I'm ok. So, how about you?" she changed the subject as she refolded a teatowel and avoided his eyes. "How's Romania?"

"I miss you," he said.

"That's what happens when you move far away from people," she said flippantly as she picked up some dishes from the table and took them to the sink as Charlie silently wished he could read her thoughts.

"You sure found plenty of people to take my place." He didn't know why he said it, except maybe it had been stored up inside him for a very long time.

"_Men_, you mean?" She looked at him sideways with her hands on the edge of the sink and wondered why they were having this conversation.

"From what you've told me in your letters, most of them were right pigs," said Charlie.

She couldn't figure what got into him, but she was getting a bit annoyed. "So what if I decided to make friends after you left me? What's it to you?"

"_Friends_," he snorted. Then he looked at her as the proverbial lightbulb clicked on over his head. "Leave you? Madeline, I left, but I didn't _leave_ you."

"It's the same thing," she said with a cold laugh.

"No, it is not. Of course I expected...," he paused. "Madeline, what would you have done if I hadn't left?"

"What does it matter?" She glared hard at the dishes in the sink.

"I need to know. What were you expecting?" he asked.

"This is a stupid theoretical supposition." She hastily wiped tears from her eyes. "You're being cruel," her voice cracked.

"Madeline, I expected you'd come join me in Romania, once I got settled. I _had_ hoped you would marry me," said Charlie. "You knew that, didn't you?"

She turned to face him, one hand still clutching the edge of the sink to steady herself. "No," she squeaked. Her lip was beginning to quiver.

"Yes." He was rooted on the spot, unable to cross the abyss between them.

"Why didn't you say so?" Her voice was almost inaudible as she looked down at her feet.

"You should have known. I always wanted you, loved you," he said. "How could you not know that?"

She shook her head. "For the life of me, I don't know why you ever wanted me. I'm a loser, Charlie." She wiped away more tears with her sleeve.

"That right there is the problem. You always put yourself down. I wish for once you could see yourself the way I see you. You'd never doubt me again." She remained silent so he continued. "But when I thought you didn't want me anymore, I tried to remain content to just being your friend."

"Not want you anymore!?!?" she said. "That's not true."

"What about the other guys?"

"None of them mattered."

"Not even the one from that band."

She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "No. Of course not." She gave a damp little laugh and sniffed.

"What about," he hesitated, "Sirius Black?"

She bit her lip. "He was my friend, but_ just_ my friend." She buried her face in her hands. "Charlie, I'm such an idiot."

Charlie crossed the kitchen and gently took her hands away from her face and leaned down to look into her eyes. "I'm the idiot. Oh, what a lot of wasted time!" he blurted up at the ceiling. Charlie was not often given to acts of spontaneity, but without another moment's hesitation, he kissed her passionately on the lips. Madeline was stunned and the tears stopped flowing.

Then, he smiled at her. "This is yours." He removed one of the two matching rings from his finger and put it on hers. It magically shrunk to fit her finger. She looked down at the little dragon on it and then up at Charlie. She was puzzled. "I had them made," he shrugged. "I still had hope," he said simply as he wiped the last tear from her cheek. "Please don't doubt me again, Derry-dol."

She smiled at the nickname taken from one of her favorite verses. "I won't," she whispered. "And _you_ don't doubt _me_ again."

He smiled. "I won't. And if ever I say or write something that could mean more than one thing, just assume I mean the good one, ok?" he said with a half-grin. Madeline giggled and it was as if the sun shined a little bit brighter for Charlie. He hugged her tightly. "My Madeline," he sighed. "How silly we have been. Maybe we're better off not talking at all."

She gave a sly grin. "I can think of a much better use for our lips." He scooped her up and sat down with her on his lap. They kissed.

"Mmm, the unspoken language of love," she laughed. Then they settled down to just silently holding each other.

Soon it was time for Charlie to return to Romania, but this time they were both full of hope and happiness. He was to buy a house for them. (He was still living in the little house with his room-mate.) And he had to do the necessary paperwork to get permission to bring her over to live. _And_ there was a wedding to plan.

But all that seemed like a lifetime ago as he stood beside the lake in the cave and cursed himself for his drunken boasts, lack of good sense in his choice of friends, and general stupidity.


	31. Chapter 31: The Final Battle

a/n: Yeah, so they're back in the cave _finally!_

_Love Never Fails _

_1 Cor. 3_

Chapter 31: The Final Battle

A sudden idea occurred to Charlie and he screwed up his face to concentrate on a spell he hadn't performed in a long time and had never done non-verbally. He made a little curly cue motion with his wand. Three dragonflies sprang into existence. His heart was beating wildy but he kept his eyes cast forward, obedient to the demands of Martin to not even look at Madeline.

Presently, he heard Martin speak. He evidently thought the dragonflies were only inadvertently cast and he laughed. "Ha! Insects. Original, yet useless." He tipped his fedora back rakishly and came up beside Madeline and put an arm around her possessively.

She looked up into Martin's face. Her eyes were clear now and she said, "Hello" and blinked innocently at him.

A wicked smile curled the edges of Martin's lips.

"Bah!" she yelled, kicking Martin's knees out from under him as she shoved him forward into the lake. She let out a loud laugh which sounded like springtime to Charlie's ears. He spun around and looked at her. "Well, come on then," she said, "Save me." Martin was sputtering in the water.

Charlie yelled, "_Grapnel!_" and a grappling hook with rope shot out of his wand and wedged itself into the cave ceiling. He wrapped his free arm around Madeline's waist. Martin laid a hand on the edge of the lake, and coughing, raised his wand. Madeline was just about to stomp on his hand when she was lifted into the air as they swung to the other side of the lake. They landed hard but still standing. A ball of green fire shot past.

"Eek!" yelled Madeline. "What was with the-" She was interrupted as Charlie turned to cast a fireball at his opponent. "-dragonflies?" she finished as he grabbed her hand.

"_Lumos_," said Charlie to cause his wand tip to glow to light the way. He pulled her along the passage. "That was our special thing."

"What are you talking a-" Her words were cut off as a loud boom shook the cave and a shower of rocks came down on their heads.

"That was the first spell I ever performed for you," he said.

She coughed from the dust. "Oh, you were being sentimental-" Another boom nearly knocked her off her feet as they made their way down the tunnel. "I thought you had gone mad." She laughed as she coughed.

There was an echoing reverberation which caused more rocks to rain down and the vibration grew louder and more intense. Charlie shot a shield charm above their heads. The rocks rolled off as if it were an invisible umbrella. However, he could no longer light the way, so their going was slower.

"I wasn't just being sentimental. Watch your step here," he said as they climbed over a boulder. "It was to remind you how much you mean to me so you'd_ follow_ me. You _weren't _meant to fight with Martin."

"I didn't, _uh_," she paused as she tripped. "I didn't really fight him. Hey, wait! You _know_ this guy?" She stopped walking and had to shout over the din. "Did you set this whole thing up?!?!"

"No, of course not! Come on!" He pulled her along the passage. The shower of rocks stopped, so he dismissed the magical shield. Ahead they could see the opening of the cave, but when they reached it, there was an iron gate barring the exit.

Madeline looked down the side tunnel. "What's down that way?" Charlie yanked her back just as a blurry shape snarled and bolted out of the side passage. He caught the whole brunt of it and fell onto the stone floor.

He shouted, "_Impedimenta,_" at it and then twisted around toward the gate. "_Alohomora_!" he shouted, from the floor. The gate swung open with ease. "Get out!" he yelled as he was again blasted by the blurry form. But Madeline wouldn't leave without Charlie. She grabbed his arm and started trying to drag him to the gate, but her effort was futile. He groaned as he clawed at the ground for a hold, "Madeline, just go!"

"Not bloody likely!" she shouted as she leapt over him and threw herself in the path of the force. She was thrown violently against the wall and then forward and was beginning to be dragged down the side passage. Charlie got hold of her hand and finally managed to grab her under the arms and cursing, he used all his strength to pull her from the grip of the force and out of the gate. They both fell, exhausted, onto the grass. The night air cooled the sweat on Charlie's neck and face. He realized how quiet it was and looked toward the gate, but it was gone. Indeed, the cave opening wasn't even there, just a solid wall of rock on the side of the hill.

Charlie sat up and looked down at Madeline. "Are you all right?" he asked, still panting.

She sat up slowly. "I think so." She turned to look at him. "Charlie, you're bleeding!"

"It's ok. Nothing serious," he said, brushing her hair back from her face. He sighed with relief and pulled her into his arms.

They embraced tightly for some time. Then he felt her shaking. He drew back slightly to look at her face, but she wasn't crying, as he had assumed. She was laughing.

The End

_a/n: It's the end of "Dragons Fly" but I might publish some funny out-takes that my daughter and I wrote when we were just kidding around. And I have a couple of other ideas for small one shot stories. Somebody asked if I was going to write about Moody's death. Eek! I don't know when I'll be able to do that. :( Waaa!_

_Thank you very much for reading. Wow, you stuck it out to the end. Neato:-)_

_Why are you still reading? I said "The End."_

_Oh, so you want to know how the wedding turned out?_

_It was very simple yet nice._

_Did they live happily ever after?_

_Pretty much. They had a little pain and heart ache too. That's life._

_Any further questions?_

_Ok, then._

_Cue the closing music._

_"Dragons make very nice pets"_

_(by Roonil Wazlib)_

_p.s._

_Martin did pony up the butterbeer and dandelion wine. He sneaked and left it on their porch before he skipped town. It turns out, he was wanted by The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures for a number of crimes such as the illegal sale and trafficking of dangerous and rare magical creatures and their parts and also wanted by The Department of Mysteries for "undisclosed crimes of a sensitive nature," whatever the heck that means._


	32. Funny outtake scene LOL

This is an out take of the opening scene in the pub. Well, actually, it's the result of walking away from the computer without closing the page and my teenager daughter walking up and typing whatever pops into her head. It's sort of funny.

The Prancing Pony was quiet that night. The barman, Mr. Butterbur, stood wiping glasses with a dirty towel humming "Hedwig's Theme" to himself. Charlie sat at a table in the corner with two other wizards arguing about the nature of love.

"You see this," said Charlie holding out his left hand and allowing the candlelight to glimmer on his silver wedding band. He smiled to himself in a silent revery of his beloved.

"Yeah, what about it?" barked the large black bearded wizard.

Charlie looks up and takes a deep breath to bring him back to the moment. Love, my friend, is the willingness to give up everything for the one you love.

The smaller weasel-like wizard started choking on his firewhisky, he was laughing so hard. "You've got your head in the clouds something bad, Charlie!"

"WTF 'something bad' what is that about?" Charlie said perplexed.

"Oh, never mind, I'm just really drunk, is all." The other wizard slurred.

"Oh, Alright." Charlie said, laughing.

They went on like this for quite a while. Funny how friendship seems to peek at certain times.

Suddenly Charlie got so drunk, his mind turned to oblivion. Through his mind wooshed dragons, delilas, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, and many other items that started with the letter "D."

He awoke, the next day, in the Leaky Cauldron lodging. "Oh, what happened?" Charlie said.

"You stumbled in here drunk last night, muttering something about Dragons chewing gum!" shouted the mirror across from his bed.

Charlie ignored the mirror and went on and straightened himself up. He went down the stairs to the main pub, and saw MADAM ROSMERTA. Charlie shook his head, and the figure turned back into Tom, the barman. "I am having a major hangover." Charlie muttered to himself.

Charlie walked out of the bar, and felt really sick, so he apparated to an unknown place, where he was greeted by friendly grindylows and violet phoenixes. Charlie felt very happy again.

He learned that oblivion, was much better than reality. THE END.


	33. Deleted Scene: Picnic

Picnic Scene -discarded for obvious reasons

Charlie and Madeline were sitting in a field enjoying a nice picnic, taking in the scenery, and embracing their newfound marriage.

"Could you hand me a butterbeer from the picnic basket?" asked Charlie.

"WHAT? Butterbeer? No, no, no, that stuff isn't good for you. I've packed us some nice fresh Berry Tonic. It's much better for you, you know." Madeline said matter of factly.

"Uh... alright then." He took a swig of the Tonic and spluttered.

Madeline looked offended and said indignantly, "Excuse me?"

"No, no, it's good, really," he said unconvincingly and pretending to take another sip.

She smiled to herself, feeling like the queen of the world. "I have him right where I want him," she thought to herself, "scared silly." She smiled sweetly at him.

"I've really put my foot in it this time," he sat thinking. "She's tougher than any nesting shedragon."

"When are we going to have a baby, Charlie?" she asked in a sing-song voice.

More spluttering. "Uh...oh...I don't know." He blushed.

"I was thinking we should start soon or we will never get to ten."

His eyes widened. "Ten?!?! WTF, Madeline. You never told me you wanted ten kids!"

"Well, I just loved living at the Burrow with such a big family. It was so cozy," she said dreamily.

"If you'll recall, my parents always struggled with money."

"Can't you just conjure up some? What's the good in being a wizard if you can't create whatever you want."

"It's part of some guy's law. You can't create food or money," said Charlie.

"That's dumb. Well, we'll just have to live off of love...oh, and the money you make doing whatever it is you do with dragons," she said.

"You don't understand my job at all, do you?" he said with a wounded look on his weather beaten but handsome face.

"Of course I do,"she says gently, giving him a kiss. "I was just teasing." He grabbed her and drew her to him in a passionate embrace.

"I love you, darling."

"And I love you, my sweet Charlie."

"How's about we start that family now," he offered with a twinkle in his eye.

Fade Out


End file.
